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| Air Vice-Marshal (United Kingdom) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Air Vice-Marshal |
| Caption | RAF sleeve insignia and rank flag |
| Service branch | Royal Air Force |
| Abbreviation | AVM |
| NATO rank | OF-7 |
| Higher rank | Air Marshal |
| Lower rank | Air Commodore |
Air Vice-Marshal (United Kingdom) is a two-star commissioned officer rank in the Royal Air Force, occupying a senior position in the hierarchy between Air Commodore and Air Marshal. Originating in the interwar expansion of the Royal Air Force and formalized during the 1920s, the rank has been held by senior leaders during conflicts such as the Second World War, the Falklands War, and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Holders have served in commands, staff appointments, and international postings with bodies such as NATO, the United Nations, and the European Union.
The rank emerged from the RAF’s early need to create a distinct senior cadre separate from the British Army and Royal Navy traditions after the First World War and the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service. Early occupants included officers formerly of the British Army and Royal Navy who transitioned during the RAF’s 1918 formation and the subsequent 1920s restructuring under figures like Sir Hugh Trenchard and Sir John Salmond. During the Second World War, AVMs commanded groups and served on the staffs of the Air Ministry and Combined Operations with leaders from the United States Army Air Forces, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Royal Australian Air Force. Postwar, AVMs held appointments in colonial and NATO contexts such as Middle East Command and Allied Command Europe, while Cold War-era operations linked AVMs with strategic planning at RAF Strike Command and in collaboration with the United States European Command.
The rank is denoted by two light-blue bands on a broader black band worn on the RAF uniform and by a two-star arrangement in British rank structures, corresponding to NATO OF-7. The rank flag and rank slides mirror those used by senior officers in the Royal Navy and British Army traditions but retain RAF-specific colouring adopted under the interwar regulations promulgated by the Air Ministry. Insignia variations have appeared for flying dress, mess dress, and service dress used at establishments such as RAF Cranwell, RAF Brize Norton, and RAF Lossiemouth.
Air Vice-Marshals command significant operational formations, hold senior staff appointments, and lead tri-service or multinational initiatives. Typical roles include command of an RAF group, directorships at the Ministry of Defence headquarters, and senior liaison with allied organizations like SHAPE and Allied Air Command. AVMs have served as directors of capabilities, chiefs of staff within expeditionary commands, and heads of training at institutions such as No. 1 School of Technical Training and RAF College Cranwell. They frequently interface with civilian departments and ministers in Westminster and with defence counterparts in capitals including Washington, D.C., Brussels, and Canberra.
Promotion to AVM requires selection by senior defence committees and approval through ministerial channels and formal warrant, reflecting parallels with promotion processes used for Vice Admiral and Lieutenant General in tri-service practice. Candidates typically have commanded squadrons or stations such as RAF Marham and held staff tours at the Air Staff or Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. Appointments may be temporary for specific operations—seen during the Gulf War and various overseas deployments—or permanent as part of career progression to Air Marshal level roles. Honours associated with promotion often include investiture into orders such as the Order of the Bath or the Order of the British Empire.
Within NATO classification the rank is OF-7, equivalent to Major General in the British Army and Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy. International equivalents include Major General in the United States Air Force and Général de division aérienne in the French Air and Space Force. In Commonwealth air forces such as the Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force, similar two-star ranks carry comparable responsibilities, aligning AVM appointments with positions in the Canadian Forces and Australian Defence Force.
Noteworthy AVMs have included operational and staff leaders who later rose to higher rank or distinction: figures associated with early RAF development like Sir John Salmond (prior to elevation), wartime commanders linked to the Battle of Britain and Mediterranean operations, and postwar leaders deployed to Malaya and Suez Crisis contingents. Later AVMs who advanced to senior defence roles have had postings in NATO headquarters, ministries at Whitehall, and ambassadorial-style liaison positions in Washington and Brussels; some received honours such as the Victoria Cross (in other ranks) or appointments to the Order of the Bath for service. Individual names span officers who served at RAF Bomber Command, RAF Fighter Command, and modern expeditionary headquarters supporting operations over Iraq and Afghanistan.
Category:Royal Air Force ranks