South African military ranks

The South African National Defence Force's rank system is largely based on the British system, with the Air Force (and later the Military Health Service) sharing the Army rank titles.

Note: in the artillery and anti-aircraft corps, the corporal and lance-corporal are called "bombardier" (bombardeer) and "lance-bombardier" (onderbombardeer).

In 2002 the Air Force officer rank insignia structure was changed from one which was shared with the Army to a new pattern based on stripes.

The Air Force stated that this was "in order to bring it more in line with international forms of rank".

In 2005 the South African Air Force redesigned its insignia completely, while keeping the Army titles.

The SA Navy was originally two separate organisations, namely the South African Division of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (formed in 1913) and the South African Naval Service (formed in 1922 and renamed the "Seaward Defence Force" in 1939).