Squadron Leader

Squadron Leader is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above Flight Lieutenant and immediately below Wing Commander

It has a NATO ranking code of OF-3, and is equivalent to a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy or a Major in the British Army or the Royal Marines.

A squadron leader once commanded a squadron of aircraft, hence the name. Today, however, a squadron is usually commanded by a wing commander, with each of the two flights under a squadron leader.

The rank insignia consists of a thin blue band on a slightly wider black band between two narrow blue bands on slightly wider black bands. This is worn on both the lower sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulders of the flying suit or the casual uniform.

In the Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured Corps, a squadron leader is the title (but not the rank) often given to the commander of a squadron (company) of armoured fighting vehicles. The squadron leader is usually a major, although the post was often held by a captain in the Second World War.

The rank has been borrowed in science fiction including the Star Wars films and its extended universe of literature and comics.

See also

• Comparative military ranks

British comissioned officer ranks
	Student Officer	OF(D)	OF-1	OF-2	OF-3	OF-4	OF-5	OF-6	OF-7	OF-8	OF-9	OF-10
Royal Navy:	OCdt	Mid	SLt	Lt	Lt Cdr	Cdr	Capt	Cdre	RAdm	VAdm	Adm	Admiral of the Fleet
Royal Marines:	OCdt		2Lt - Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig	Maj Gen
Army:	OCdt	OD	2Lt - Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig	Maj Gen	Lt Gen	Gen	FM
Royal Air Force:	OCdt	OD	PO - FO	Flt Lt	Sqn Ldr	Wg Cdr	Gp Capt	ACdre	AVM	AM	ACM	MRAF