Group captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-British air force-specific rank structure. Group captain has a NATO rank code of OF-5, meaning that it ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore, and is the equivalent of the rank of captain in the navy and of the rank of colonel in other services.
| Group captain | |
|---|---|
An RAF group captain's command flag | |
A group captain's sleeve/shoulder insignia from the Royal Air Force | |
| Service branch | Air forces |
| Abbreviation | Gp Capt / GPCAPT |
| NATO rank code | OF-5 |
| Non-NATO rank | O-6 |
| Formation | 1 April 1918 (RAF) |
| Next higher rank | Air commodore |
| Next lower rank | Wing commander |
| Equivalent ranks | |
It is usually abbreviated Gp Capt. In some air forces (such as the RAF, IAF and PAF), the abbreviation GPCAPT is used; in others (such as the RAAF and RNZAF), and in many historical contexts, the abbreviation G/C is used. The full phrase "group captain" is always used; the rank is never abbreviated to "captain".