Commander-in-chief

A commander-in-chief or supreme commander is the person who exercises supreme command and control over armed forces or a military branch. As a technical term, it refers to military competencies that reside in a country's executive leadership, a head of state or a head of government.

Senior Commissioned Officers
	Armies, air forces (non-Commonwealth), space forces, marines	Navies, coast guard	Air forces (Commonwealth system)
	Field marshal or general of the army or general of the air force	Admiral of the fleet or grand admiral	Marshal of the air force
	General or colonel general or army general	Admiral or general admiral	Air chief marshal
	Lieutenant general or army corps general	Vice admiral	Air marshal
	Major general or divisional general	Rear admiral or Counter admiral	Air vice-marshal
	Brigadier or brigadier general	Commodore or flotilla admiral	Air commodore
	Colonel	Captain	Group captain
	Lieutenant colonel	Commander	Wing commander
	Major or commandant	Lieutenant commander	Squadron leader
Junior Commissioned Officers
	Captain	Lieutenant	Flight lieutenant
	Lieutenant or first lieutenant	Lieutenant junior grade or sub-lieutenant	Flying officer
	Second lieutenant or junior lieutenant	Ensign or midshipman	Pilot officer
	Officer cadet	Officer cadet	Flight cadet
Non-commissioned officers
	Warrant officer or sergeant major	Warrant officer or chief petty officer	Warrant officer
	Sergeant	Petty officer	Sergeant
Enlisted ranks
	Corporal or bombardier or specialist	Leading seaman	Corporal or Leading aircraftman
	Private or gunner or trooper or sapper	Seaman	Aircraftman or airman or aviator

Typical units	Typical numbers	Typical commander
fireteam	2–4	lance corporal, corporal
squad, section	5–14	corporal, sergeant, staff sergeant
platoon, troop	15–45	second lieutenant, first lieutenant, lieutenant
company, battery, squadron	80–250	first lieutenant, captain, major
battalion, cohort	300–1000	major, lieutenant colonel
regiment, brigade, legion	1,000–5,500	colonel, brigadier general
division	10,000–25,000	major general
corps	30,000–50,000	lieutenant general
field army	100,000–300,000	colonel general, general
army group, front	2+ field armies	field marshal, general, admiral
region, theater	4+ army groups	marshal of the air force, general of the army, admiral of the fleet

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