Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Ranks and Salary 2026

Pakistan Air Force ranks in Pakistan run from Aircraftman to Air Chief Marshal: 21 ranks in two streams, 11 commissioned officers and 10 airmen. A Squadron Leader equals a Major in the Pakistan Army.

An Aircraftman, the lowest airman rank, starts on the BPS-7 equivalent with a 2026 chart basic pay of Rs 19,590 a month.

The highest active rank is Air Chief Marshal; Marshal of the Air Force is a five-star honorary rank that has never been held by any officer.

PAF ranks have no official BPS grade. The BPS numbers in this guide are the equivalence most sources use, not an official military scale.

Pay in the armed forces is set by the Finance Division through its own military pay scales, not by the civilian BPS chart. The basic pay figures below are the minimum of the civilian BPS-2026 chart for the equivalent grade, not a PAF payslip.

Our Pak Army ranks guide takes the same position for the Army.

PAF at a glance#

PAF officer ranks in Pakistan#

PAF officer ranks in Pakistan start at Pilot Officer on commissioning from the PAF Academy Asghar Khan, Risalpur, and rise to Air Chief Marshal.

The table gives the BPS equivalent, the Army equivalent, and the 2026 basic pay, which is the minimum of the civilian BPS-2026 chart for the equivalent grade.

Two ranks share one grade, which is normal: Pilot Officer, Flying Officer and Flight Lieutenant are all BPS-17, and Squadron Leader and Wing Commander are both BPS-18, just as the Army’s Captain and Major are both BPS-18.

The senior grades follow the Army-parallel figures: Group Captain BPS-19, Air Vice Marshal BPS-21, Air Marshal BPS-22.

PAF airman ranks in Pakistan#

PAF airman ranks in Pakistan run from Aircraftman to Chief Warrant Officer. The ladder is in two parts: enlisted and NCO ranks from Aircraftman (BPS-7) to Chief Technician (BPS-13), and Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) ranks from Assistant Warrant Officer (BPS-14) to Chief Warrant Officer (BPS-16).

Above Chief Technician, personnel hold JCO status.

The Army equivalents marked with an asterisk are approximate by level; no source states them directly. Junior Technician is BPS-10, which fits the ladder order above Senior Aircraftman (BPS-9); two sources list BPS-8, which would put it below Senior Aircraftman and contradicts the ladder order.

PAF civilians (Assistants, Stenotypists, clerical staff) are a separate cadre on civilian BPS scales and are not part of the uniformed rank ladder.

PAF ranks and Army equivalents#

PAF ranks map to Army and Navy ranks on the standard tri-service scale. A Squadron Leader equals a Major in the Army and a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy.

PAF insignia: what the badges look like#

PAF officer insignia are primarily based on the Royal Air Force pattern, but the insignia changed in 2006, when British-influenced rank insignia were dropped for Turkish-style insignia, while the British ranking style was kept.

Officer badges use golden stars and the national emblem:

• Pilot Officer: one golden star.
• Flying Officer: two golden stars.
• Flight Lieutenant: three golden stars.
• Squadron Leader: a crescent moon and star in a bracket.
• Wing Commander: one golden star above a crescent moon and star in a bracket.
• Group Captain: two golden stars above a crescent moon and star in a bracket.
• Air Commodore: the national emblem plus one star.
• Air Vice Marshal: the national emblem plus two stars.
• Air Marshal: the national emblem plus three stars.
• Air Chief Marshal: the national emblem plus four stars.

Airman badges use a red eagle:

• Aircraftman: one red eagle.
• Leading Aircraftman: one red eagle plus two wings.
• Senior Aircraftman: one red eagle plus three wings.
• Junior Technician: one red eagle plus one white stripe.
• Corporal Technician: one red eagle plus two white stripes.
• Senior Technician: one red eagle plus three white stripes.

JCOs wear a golden eagle with stars on a pink-white stripe.

What is the salary of an airman in Pakistan#

The salary of an airman in Pakistan starts with an Aircraftman’s basic pay of Rs 19,590 a month on the 2026 chart (BPS-7 equivalent).

No payslip source exists, so the table below is a worked example from the verified 2026 chart and the Finance Division defence allowances OM, labelled as a worked estimate, not a payslip.

Plus uniform monetization of Rs 14,791 a year, about Rs 1,233 a month, which takes the worked figure to about Rs 33,477 a month, plus free ration in kind and free medical treatment for the airman and family.

The allowance rates are from the Finance Division OM No.41(1)R-5/2025 dated 21 July 2026, the same OM the Army guide used. The actual take-home depends on posting, quarters, and whether the airman is on flying duties.

A single flat salary range does not fit every airman rank: pay rises with rank, posting, quarters and flying duties.

For comparison, a Pilot Officer (BPS-17 equivalent) starts on a basic pay of Rs 54,140 (chart minimum) plus ARA-2026 7% (Rs 3,790) plus conveyance allowance Rs 7,500 (BPS-16 and above), a core of about Rs 65,430 a month before flying allowance and other allowances.

The Army guide estimated a Second Lieutenant at Rs 65,000 to 85,000 a month, which is consistent.

Flying allowance in the PAF 2026#

Flying allowance is the PAF-specific allowance, and it is the largest single addition for aircrew.

The Finance Division revised defence allowances by Office Memorandum No.41(1)R-5/2025 dated 21 July 2026, effective from 1 July 2026, covering the Pak Army, Pak Navy, Pak Air Force and associated civilian staff.

The revised flying allowance rates below come from that OM. Only personnel on active flying duties receive flying allowance.

The figures are about 2.5 times the previous rates: a Squadron Leader rose from Rs 11,000 to Rs 27,500, and a Flying Officer from Rs 7,360 to Rs 18,400.

The flying allowance table gives no rate for a Pilot Officer, so none is stated here.

For airmen aircrew, the flying allowance runs from Rs 7,900 to Rs 14,700 a month, with Chief Warrant Officer at Rs 14,700 at the top. The flying allowance is given as a range, not a per-rank table.

Beyond salary, PAF personnel get free medical treatment at military hospitals for themselves and their family, a monthly ration, accommodation or a house rent allowance, education support for children, and a pension after service.

PAF officers vs airmen#

PAF officers and airmen enter through different routes and do different work. Officers are commissioned: they enter through the PAF Academy Asghar Khan, Risalpur, after clearing ISSB, and are commissioned as Pilot Officers (BPS-17).

The main officer branches are General Duty Pilot GD(P) (the flying branch), Aeronautical Engineering, Air Defence, Admin and Special Duties, Logistics, Accounts, Medical, Education and Meteorological. GD(P) needs FSc with 65% and Physics mandatory, age 16 to 22.

Graduates join through the Short Service Commission and Combat Support Course; MBBS doctors are commissioned as Flight Lieutenants, or Squadron Leaders for specialists, through the Special Purpose Short Service Commission (SPSSC).

Airmen are the technical and non-technical uniformed staff who support flight operations. They join after Matric Science (age 15 to 20) and train at the Pre Trade Training School, Kohat, then at the Airman Academy, PAF Base Korangi Creek, for trade-specific training.

The two entry streams are Aero Technician trades (Senior Aircraftman is the first rank after trade training) and Aero Support trades (Leading Aircraftman is awarded on graduation). Airmen do aircraft maintenance, ground operations and base support.

Serving airmen can apply for a commission through the SPSSC or internal commissioning schemes if they meet the educational and age criteria.

Our join PAF guide covers every entry route in full, including the current course status, so this guide does not repeat the entry tables.

PAF promotion path#

PAF promotions are based on years of service, performance evaluations, examinations and the availability of positions at the next rank. The timelines below are typical, not official PAF figures.

• Flight Lieutenant: after about 6 years of service.
• Squadron Leader: after 9 to 10 years of total commissioned service, with 6 years in the substantive rank of Flight Lieutenant.
• Wing Commander: after 14 years of total commissioned service.
• Junior Technician: after about 4 years of total service including training.
• Chief Warrant Officer: after about 20 years of exemplary service.

How to join the PAF#

Joining the PAF starts at the official portal, joinpaf.gov.pk. Registration is free for officer and airman courses, and joinpaf.gov.pk is the only official portal.

As of early November 2026, the GD Pilot course 163 is expected in February 2027, the Aeronautical Engineering course 108 and Air Defence course 118 closed on 3 August 2026, the SSC/CSC course 138 is open now, and no airman course is open now.

Our join PAF guide covers every entry route, the eligibility, the tests and the current course status in full. PAF personnel serve across Pakistan; for other armed forces careers, see our forces jobs hub.

Mistakes to avoid#

The most common mistakes with PAF ranks and salary in Pakistan are about the BPS mapping, the pay figures, and mixing up the two services’ ranks.

• Treating the BPS grade as an official PAF scale. PAF ranks have no official BPS grade. The BPS numbers are the equivalence most commonly used, and pay is set by the Finance Division through its own military pay scales.
• Treating a chart basic pay as a payslip: the basic pay figures in this guide are the minimum of the civilian BPS-2026 chart for the equivalent grade. Actual take-home depends on posting, quarters and flying duties.
• Trusting flat salary ranges: one range does not fit every rank. Pay rises with rank, posting, quarters and flying duties.
• Assuming Marshal of the Air Force is a serving rank: it is a five-star honorary rank that has never been held by any officer. The highest active rank is Air Chief Marshal.
• Mixing up Wing Commander and Group Captain: a Wing Commander equals a Lieutenant Colonel, and a Group Captain equals a Colonel. A Squadron Leader equals a Major, not a Lieutenant Colonel.
• Expecting flying allowance without flying duties. Only personnel on active flying duties receive it. The flying allowance table gives no rate for a Pilot Officer.

FAQ#

Which PAF rank equals a Major?

Squadron Leader. A Squadron Leader in the Pakistan Air Force is equivalent to a Major in the Pakistan Army and a Lieutenant Commander in the Pakistan Navy, on BPS-18.

What is the salary of an airman?

An Aircraftman starts on a basic pay of Rs 19,590 a month on the 2026 chart (BPS-7 equivalent).

With ARA-2026, conveyance, medical, quarters, disturbance and danger money allowances, the worked core gross is about Rs 32,244 a month, about Rs 33,477 with uniform monetization, plus free ration and medical treatment.

The figures are worked estimates from the chart and the Finance Division OM, not a payslip.

What is the highest rank in the Pakistan Air Force?

Marshal of the Air Force, a five-star honorary rank that has never been awarded. The highest active rank is Air Chief Marshal, held by the Chief of the Air Staff.

What is the starting rank for a PAF officer?

Pilot Officer (BPS-17), on commissioning from the PAF Academy Asghar Khan, Risalpur.

What is the difference between a PAF officer and an airman?

Officers are commissioned, enter through the Academy after ISSB, and lead units. Airmen are the technical and support staff who join after Matric, train at PTTS Kohat and the Airman Academy, and maintain aircraft and run ground operations.

Airmen can apply for a commission later through the SPSSC.

How long does it take to become a Squadron Leader in the PAF?

About 9 to 10 years of total commissioned service, with 6 years in the substantive rank of Flight Lieutenant, as typically reported.