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{{Short description|Military rank equivalents within NATO}}
{{Military ranks|state=uncollapsed}}

A [[Standardization agreement|NATO standard]] grade scale is used by the [[NATO]] and its partners for the purpose of comparing [[military rank]]s across the [[Member states of NATO|member nations]] militaries, as well as for a number of administrative tasks.

== Rank codes ==
NATO maintains a "standard rank scale" which is also known as a "standardized reference system" in an attempt to standardize NATO codes of rank for military personnel and indicated correspondence with nations ranks. NATO's standardized reference system is intended to be used "by nations when preparing personnel tables, requisitions, reports and returns destined for NATO nations, organizations and commands."{{sfn|APersP-01|p=1-1}}

The NATO codes assigned for each grade are based on the agreed corresponding army grades with the naval and air forces grades determined from them by "national regulations".{{sfn|APersP-01|p=1-1}}

The NATO rank reference code categories were established in [[STANAG]] 2116 (formally titled ''NATO Codes for Grades of Military Personnel''). It is known for certain that STANAG 2116 was ratified by Denmark on 19 January 1971 and that the 3rd edition of STANAG 2116 was adopted no later than October 1975.{{sfn|STANAG 2116(3)}} The current- 7th - edition is just the cover, and the core of the standard is in set out in APersP-01 Ed. A.{{sfn|STANAG 2116(7)}} 

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Revision History
! Edition/Version
! Date
|-
| STANG 2116 Ed.1
| no earlier than January 1971{{sfn|STANAG 2116(3)}}
|-
| STANG 2116 Ed.2
| no data 
|-
| STANG 2116 Ed.3
| no later than October 1975{{sfn|STANAG 2116(3)}} 
|-
| STANG 2116 Ed.4
| June 14, 1978{{sfn|STANAG 2116(5)}} 
|-
| STANG 2116 Ed.5
| March 13, 1996{{sfn|STANAG 2116(5)}} 
|-
| STANG 2116 Ed.6
| February 25, 2010{{sfn|STANAG 2116(7)}} 
|-
| STANG 2116 Ed.7,<br>APersP-01 Ed.A V.1
| January 13, 2021{{sfn|GlobalSpec}} 
|-
| APersP-01 Ed.A V.2
| March 11, 2022{{sfn|GlobalSpec}} 
|-
| APersP-01 Ed.A V.3
| June 16, 2022{{sfn|GlobalSpec}} 
|}

=== Officers codes ===
OF-10 – OF-1 (highest to lowest rank code) are used for [[commissioned officer]]s:{{sfn|APersP-01|p=1-1}}
* OF-10 – OF-6: [[General officer]]s
* OF-5 – OF-3: [[Senior officer]]s
* OF-2 – OF-1: [[Junior officer]]s

According to the standard, OF-10 is a national title,{{efn|[[Marshal]], [[Captain General]] etc.}} so it is not found in most of the armed forces of NATO countries, including the [[United States Armed Forces|US Armed Forces]].{{efn|The ranks of [[General of the Army (United States)|General of the Army]], [[Fleet admiral (United States)|Fleet Admiral]] and [[General of the Air Force]] are reserved for wartime use only and designated in previous editions of STANAG 2116 as OF-10, but not listed in the current version of the standard.}} For example, in the [[French Armed Forces]] OF-10 is not a rank but a title, which corresponds moreover to a high position in the state.{{sfn|APersP-01|pp=A-7, B-8, C-7}} There is no OF-10 in the British [[Royal Marines]],{{efn|[[Captain General Royal Marines]] is the title of the ceremonial head of the Royal Marines. The uniform and insignia currently worn by the Captain General are those of a [[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] (OF-10). }} in the [[British Army]], [[Royal Navy]] and [[Royal Air Force]] rank OF-10 applicable in wartime only.{{sfn|APersP-01|pp=A-8, B-8, C-7}} The armed forces of [[Albania]], [[Latvia]], [[Lithuania]] and [[Luxembourg]] also lack the OF-9 rank. 

In the Latvian Armed Forces the officer rank Lieutenant is identified by the Code OF-0.{{sfn|APersP-01|pp=A-9, B-8, C-8}}

=== Other ranks codes ===
OR-9 – OR-1 (highest to lowest rank code) are used for other ranks ([[enlisted ranks]] and [[non-commissioned officer]]s (NCO)):{{sfn|APersP-01|p=1-1}}
* OR-9 – OR-5: Non-commissioned officers
* OR-4 – OR-1: Other ranks/enlisted ranks

For NATO purposes, NCOs are ranked OR-5 to OR-9.{{sfn|APersP-01|p=1-1}} However, national rank structures might differentiate from this.

In the [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. armed forces]] [[Warrant officer (United States)|warrant officer]] is a separate and distinct category of officers. This officer rank and precedence is below those of officer personnel, but above that of non-officer personnel, and has a special group of codes ([[Uniformed services pay grades of the United States|W-1 – W-5]]).{{sfn|APersP-01|p=А-10}} In the Commonwealth tradition (for NATO the [[British Armed Forces]] and [[Canadian Armed Forces]]) [[warrant officer]]s are the highest other ranks.{{sfn|APersP-01|pp=D-1, D-3}}

In the British Armed Forces senior non-commissioned officers (e.g. sergeants) are in OR-5 to OR-7 and junior non-commissioned officers (eg corporals) are in OR-3 and OR-4.{{sfn|APersP-01|pp=D-8, Е-7, F-7}} In the U.S. military OR-5 and above are non-commissioned officers for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force but in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy (both parts of the Department of the Navy), OR-4 and above are non-commissioned officers.<ref>{{cite web  |website=www.defense.gov |title=U.S. Military Rank Insignia  |url=https://www.defense.gov/Resources/Insignia/ }}</ref>

=== Comparison to US system ===
The numbers in the system broadly correspond to the [[U.S. uniformed services pay grades]], with OR-x replacing E-x. The main difference is in the commissioned officer ranks, where the US system recognizes two grades at OF-1 level (O-1 and O-2), meaning that all O-x numbers after O-1 are one point higher on the US scale than they are on the NATO scale (e.g. a [[major (rank)|major]] is OF-3 on the NATO scale and O-4 on the US scale). For warrant officers, NATO codes and [[U.S. uniformed services pay grades]] are equivalent.{{sfn|APersP-01|pp=A-10, B-9, C-9}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Officer ranks
|-
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}}
|- style="background-color:#CCCCCC; width: 100%"
! [[Uniformed services pay grades of the United States|Uniformed services pay grade]] !! colspan=2 | Special grade !! colspan=2 | O-10 !! colspan=2 | O-9 !! colspan=2 | O-8 !! colspan=2 | O-7 !! colspan=2 | O-6 !! colspan=2 | O-5 !! colspan=2 | O-4 !! colspan=2 | O-3 !! colspan=3 | O-2 !! colspan=3 | O-1 
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Other ranks
|- style="background-color:#CCCCCC; text-align:center;"
! Rank group 
! colspan=22| Non-commissioned officers
! colspan=14| Enlisted
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/OR/Blank}}
{{United States uniformed services pay grades/enlisted/blank}}
|}

== Officer rank code application ==
{{see also|NATO Joint Military Symbology}}

Appendix B of the APP-06 (related to STANAG 2019{{sfn|STANAG 2019|p=1}}) standard lists 11 formation/unit groups (13 in US Armed Forces) and identifies the command level of seven of them:{{sfn|APP-06|pp=795–796}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! 
! Symbol
! Unit
! Commander
|-
| Group 11
| '''☓☓☓☓☓'''
| [[Army group]]
| under a designated joint force commander
|-
| Group 10
| '''☓☓☓☓'''
| [[Field army|Army]]{{efn|the largest tactical and administrative formation of armed forces.}}
| ―{{efn|OF-9 is implied.}}
|-
| Group 9
| '''☓☓☓'''
| [[Corps]]
| normally commanded by OF-8
|-
| Group 8
| '''☓☓'''
| [[Division (military)|Division]]
| normally commanded by an OF-7
|-
| Group 7
| '''☓'''
| [[Brigade]]{{efn|name=differs}} 
| normally commanded by an OF-5 or 6
|-
| Group 6
| '''<nowiki>❘ ❘ ❘</nowiki>'''
| [[Regiment]]{{efn|name=differs|the meaning of brigade and regiment differs across armies and branch of service, and other names may be used.}}
| usually commanded by an OF-4, 5 or 6
|-
| Group 5
| '''<nowiki>❘ ❘</nowiki>'''
| [[Battalion]]{{efn |name=varies}}
| commanded by an OF-3 or 4
|-
| Group 4
| '''<nowiki>❘</nowiki>'''
| [[Company (military unit)|Company]]{{efn |name=varies|depending on army and service arm may be known by other names.}}
| commanded by an OF-2 or 3
|-
| Group 3{{efn|may or may not require administrative
support, group 2 and group 1 requires administrative and logistical support.}}
| ●●●
| [[Platoon]]{{efn |name=varies}}
| commanded by an OF-1/OF-2 or OR-7/OR-8
|}

This is a general NATO practice, which does not prevent individual branches of the armed forces, for example, the British Army,<ref>{{cite web |author1= |title=Rank Structure |url=https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/our-people/ranks/ |website=www.army.mod.uk }}</ref> the U.S. Army<ref>{{cite web |last1= |title=U.S. Army Ranks |url=https://www.army.mil/ranks/ |website=www.army.mil }}</ref> and the U.S. Marine Corps,<ref>{{cite web |author1= |title=Marine Corps Ranks |url=https://www.marines.com/about-the-marine-corps/roles/ranks.html |website=www.marines.com }}</ref> from having their own approaches to the positions held by certain officers and NCOs.

== Non-officer rank code criteria ==
The Bilateral Strategic Command Directive 040-002 "NATO Non-Commissioned Officer and Junior Officer Bi-Strategic Command Employment and Development Strategy" (19 December 2023), describes the NATO rank indicators for NCOs:{{sfn|Bi-SC Directive 040-002|pp=7–8}}

* OR-1 {{emdash}} OR-3: "These are the basic entry ranks into the military structure."
* OR-4: "The first level of leadership within the NATO NCO ranks."
* OR-5: "The OR-5 is the first NATO designated NCO grade and the level of leadership with the greatest impact on subordinate ranks."
* OR-6: "This is the first grade at which OR should be considered for Staff NCO duties at NATO higher headquarters employment. As such some NATO nations may recognize OR-6 through OR-9 as Senior NCOs (SNCO) or Warrant Officers (WO)."
* OR-7: "The OR-7 is empowered and considered a key element within the command structure. At this level, SNCOs are expected to be able to provide sound advice to their leadership. While no formal mandate exists, this is the level at which, when consistent with their national authorities, SNCOs start to provide mentorship/assistance for Junior Officers (OF-1/OF-2)."
* OR-8: "Uses enhanced leadership skills and broad operational experience to advise unit/element leaders and commanders on organizational effectiveness. OR-8s are expected to merge subordinates talents, skills, and resources with other NATO cross functional team(s) and organization(s) to implement planning and management processes for collective mission accomplishment."
* OR-9: "The most experienced SNCO within the NATO NCO structure. This grade is normally utilized in an advisory capacity when assigned to a higher headquarters."

== Non-NATO use of NATO rank codes ==

Based on the intentions of [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] and [[Ukraine]] to join NATO, NATO codes for military ranks have been officially introduced in these countries. Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted a corresponding law in 2005.{{sfn|Law on Service in the Armed Forces of B&H|pp=33–34}} In Ukraine, the introduction of NATO codes for military ranks took place in two stages. Firstly in 2020, the [[Verkhovna Rada]] (Ukrainian parliament) amended the structure of military ranks{{sfn|Law of Ukraine dated 04.06.2020 No. 680-IX}} which was followed in January 2021, by the [[List of ministers of defense (Ukraine)|Minister of Defense of Ukraine]] approving the compliance of military ranks with NATO codes by order<ref>{{cite news |title=Ukrainian military ranks replaced with NATO military rank codes |date=6 January 2021 |url=https://rubryka.com/en/2021/01/06/ukrayinski-vijskovi-zvannya-perevely-na-kody-vijskovyh-rangiv-nato |website=rubryka.com }}</ref> while the order had the status [[For Official Use Only|"For official use only"]].{{efn|Among the orders of the Minister of Defense for 2021, posted on the website of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, order No. 1 is missing, and instead of the name of the national document that introduced the NATO document, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine uses the term “Official document of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine”.}}<ref>{{cite web |language=Ukrainian |title=Nakazy Ministerstva oborony Ukrayiny za 2021 rik |trans-title=Orders of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for 2021 |url=https://mod.gov.ua/diyalnist/normativno-pravova-baza/nakazi-ministerstva-oboroni-ukraini-za-2021-rik |website=mod.gov.ua }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |language=Ukrainian |title=Perelik chynnykh standartiv ta kerivnykh dokumentiv NATO, yaki zaprovadzheni v Ministerstvi oborony Ukrayiny, Zbroynykh Sylakh Ukrayiny ta inshykh skladovykh syl bezpeky i oborony |trans-title=List of NATO standards and guiding documents implemented by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other security and defense forces |url=https://mod.gov.ua/diyalnist/normativno-pravova-baza/perelik-standartiv-nato-ta-standartiv-u-sferi-oboroni-derzhav-chleniv-nato-prijnyatih-u-skladovih-sektoru-bezpeki-i-oboroni |date=2025-05-15 |p=5 |website=mod.gov.ua }}</ref>

Some European NATO partners such as [[Austria]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Rank Insignias |url=https://www.bundesheer.at/en/rank-insignias |website=www.bundesheer.at }}</ref> and [[Ireland]]{{sfn|RDFRA|2021|pp=42–43}}{{sfn|De Barra|2022|pp=99–100}} describe their ranks in terms of NATO rank codes for comparison with NATO forces. [[Finland]] and [[Sweden]] also had a conversion table to NATO standards prior to [[Enlargement_of_NATO#Finland_and_Sweden|becoming a NATO member]].{{sfn|Pulkki|2009|pp=12-13}}

== Mapping to "star ranks" ==
{{main|Military star ranking}}
General officer grades are usually defined by the number of stars they ‘wear’. In the third edition of the STANAG 2116, OF-6 to OF-10 were described as "to be used for one to five star ranks or equivalents respectively".{{sfn|STANAG 2116(3)|p=2}} In the fourth through sixth editions of the standard, the term 'four star' was used for the OF-9 of the [[Italian Armed Forces|Italian]] and [[Portuguese Armed Forces|Portuguese]] armed forces. APersP-01 Ed. A clarified that in the [[French Armed Forces|French]] forces the OF-9 "is the highest rank in the hierarchy … therefore, carry the 4 stars and 5 stars rank marks".{{sfn|APersP-01|pp=A-8,B-8,C-7}}

== Comparative ranks of member armed forces ==

* [[Ranks and insignia of NATO armies officers|Ranks and insignia of NATO member army officers]]
* [[Ranks and insignia of NATO armies enlisted|Ranks and insignia of NATO member army enlisted]]
* [[Ranks and insignia of NATO air forces officers|Ranks and insignia of NATO member air force officers]]
* [[Ranks and insignia of NATO air forces enlisted|Ranks and insignia of NATO member air force enlisted]]
* [[Ranks and insignia of NATO navies' officers|Ranks and insignia of NATO member navy officers]]
* [[Ranks and insignia of NATO navies enlisted|Ranks and insignia of NATO member navy enlisted]]

== See also ==
* [[Air officer]]
* [[list of comparative military ranks|Comparative military ranks]]
* [[Flag officer]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}
{{reflist}}
== References ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |author1= |title=STANAG 2116, NATO Codes for Grades of Military Personnel |date=13 January 2021 |edition=7th |publisher=[[NATO Standardization Office]] |location=Brussels, Belgium |url=https://nso.nato.int/nso/nsdd/main/standards/stanag-details/8939/EN  |ref = {{harvid|STANAG 2116(7) }} }}
* {{cite book |author1= |title=STANAG 2019, NATO Joint Military Symbology |date=11 October 2023 |edition=8th |publisher=[[NATO Standardization Office]] |location=Brussels, Belgium |url=https://nso.nato.int/nso/nsdd/main/standards/stanag-details/9441/EN |ref = {{harvid|STANAG 2019 }} }}
* {{cite book |author1= |title=NATO Standard APersP-01, NATO Codes for Grades of Military Personnel (Ed. A, Ver. 3)  |date=16 June 2022 |publisher=[[NATO Standardization Office]] |location=Brussels, Belgium |url=https://nso.nato.int/nso/nsdd/main/standards/ap-details/3319/EN |ref = {{harvid|APersP-01}} }}
* {{cite web  |website=GlobalSpec |title=NATO - APERSP-01 - NATO CODES FOR GRADES OF MILITARY PERSONNEL |url=https://standards.globalspec.com/std/14521596/apersp-01 |ref = {{harvid|GlobalSpec }}}}
* {{cite book |author1= |title=NATO Standard APP-06, NATO Joint Military Symbology (Ed. E, Ver. 1) |date=11 October 2023 |publisher= [[NATO Standardization Office]] |location=Brussels, Belgium |url=https://nso.nato.int/nso/nsdd/main/standards/ap-details/3169/EN  |ref = {{harvid|APP-06}} }}
* {{cite book |author1= |title=STANAG 2116 |date=13 March 1996 |edition=5th |publisher=[[NATO Standardization Office#History|Military Standardization Agency]] |location=Brussels, Belgium |url=https://hhk.uni-nke.hu/document/hhk-uni-nke-hu/NATO_CODES_OF_RANKS.pdf |archive-date=2024-03-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313155730/https://hhk.uni-nke.hu/document/hhk-uni-nke-hu/NATO_CODES_OF_RANKS.pdf |url-status=live |ref = {{harvid|STANAG 2116(5) }} }}
* {{cite book |author1=  |title=Extract of STANAG 2116 (Ed. 3) |date=October 1975 |publisher=[[Chief of the Royal Danish Navy]] |location=Vedbaek, Denmark  |url=http://www.marinehist.dk/orlogsbib/n/NATO-Grad.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014143755/http://www.marinehist.dk/orlogsbib/n/NATO-Grad.pdf |url-status=live |ref = {{harvid|STANAG 2116(3) }} }}
* {{cite book |author1=  |title=Bi-SC Directive 040-002, NATO Non-Commissioned Officer and Junior Officer Bi-Strategic Command Employment and Development Strategy |date=19 December 2023 |publisher=[[Allied Command Operations]], [[Allied Command Transformation]] |url=https://shape.nato.int/resources/site7234/General/BISCD040-002%20NATO%20NCO_JO%20Employment%20and%20Development%20Strat.pdf |ref = {{harvid|Bi-SC Directive 040-002}} }}
* {{cite book |author1= |language=Bosnian |title=Zakon o službi u Oružanim snagama Bosne i Hercegovine |trans-title=The Law on Service in the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina |date=5 October 2005 |url=http://www.mod.gov.ba/files/file/zakoni/Zakon-o-sluzbi-bs.pdf  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240618222544/http://www.mod.gov.ba/files/file/zakoni/Zakon-o-sluzbi-bs.pdf |archive-date=2024-06-18 |ref = {{harvid|Law on Service in the Armed Forces of B&H }} }}
* {{cite web |author1= |language=Ukrainian |title=Zakon Ukrainy vid 04.06.2020 № 680-IX. Pro vnesennia zmin do deiakykh zakonodavchykh aktiv Ukrainy shchodo viiskovykh zvan viiskovosluzhbovtsiv |trans-title=The Law of Ukraine dated 04.06.2020 No. 680-IX. On amendments to some legislative acts of Ukraine regarding the military ranks of military personnel |website=zakon.rada.gov.ua |url=https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/680-20?lang=en#Text  |ref = {{harvid|Law of Ukraine dated 04.06.2020 No. 680-IX }} }}
* {{cite book |author1= |title=RDFRA submission to the Commission on the Defence Forces |date=January 2021 |publisher=[[Reserve Defence Force Representative Association]] |url=https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/135988/689007e7-5e0c-48a1-820e-f2ba51060e0e.pdf#page=null |ref={{SfnRef|RDFRA|2021 }} }}
* {{cite magazine |last= De Barra |first=Ruairi |title=From Aspiration to Action. Exploring New Horizons for the Defence Forces Senior Enlisted Leaders |magazine=Defence Forces review 2022 |date= 2022 |pages=97–104 |url=https://www.military.ie/en/members-area/members-area-files/defence-forces-review-2022-digital.pdf }}
* {{cite journal |last1=Pulkki |first1=Arto |title=NATO-Maiden Sotilas- Ja Palvelusarvot |journal=Helsingin Reservin Sanomat |date=30 January 2009 |pages=12–13 |url=http://reservinsanomat.fi/wp-content/uploads/reservinsanomat_2009_1_web.pdf |language=fi |issn=0355-824X |archive-date=2021-07-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722190157/http://reservinsanomat.fi/wp-content/uploads/reservinsanomat_2009_1_web.pdf |url-status=dead }}
{{refend}}

== External links ==

* {{cite web |title=Extract of STANAG 2116 (Ed. 3)  |url=http://www.marinehist.dk/orlogsbib/n/NATO-Grad.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014143755/http://www.marinehist.dk/orlogsbib/n/NATO-Grad.pdf |url-status=live |website=www.marinehist.dk }}
* {{cite web |title=STANAG 2116 (Ed. 4) |website=www.royalnavy.mod.uk |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/documents/reference-library/br-2/BRd%202%20-%20Book/an03a.pdf |archive-date=2017-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108210224/https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/documents/reference-library/br-2/BRd%202%20-%20Book/an03a.pdf }}
* {{cite web |title=STANAG 2116 (Ed. 5) |website=hhk.uni-nke.hu |url=https://hhk.uni-nke.hu/document/hhk-uni-nke-hu/NATO_CODES_OF_RANKS.pdf |archive-date=2024-03-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240313155730/https://hhk.uni-nke.hu/document/hhk-uni-nke-hu/NATO_CODES_OF_RANKS.pdf |url-status=live }}
* {{cite web |title=STANAG 2116 (Ed. 6) (Ratification Draft 1) |website=www.scribd.com |url=https://www.scribd.com/document/684398853/STANAG2116 }}
* {{cite web |title=STANAG 2116 (Ed. 7)  |website=nso.nato.int |url=https://nso.nato.int/nso/nsdd/main/standards/stanag-details/8939/EN }}
* {{cite web |url=https://nso.nato.int/nso/nsdd/main/standards/ap-details/3319/EN |title=NATO Standard APersP-01 (Ed. A, Ver. 3) |website=nso.nato.int }}

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{{NATO}}

[[Category:Military ranks of NATO| ]]