The Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia — the Royal Saudi Land Forces, the Royal Saudi Naval Forces, and the Royal Saudi Air Force — share one of the most recognisable rank systems in the Middle East. Where most countries give their navy a completely different set of titles, Saudi Arabia uses the same Arabic rank names across all three services, from Mulazim (ملازم) at the bottom of the officer ladder to Fariq ‘awal (فريق أول) at the top. This complete 2026 guide lists every Saudi military rank in order, shows its insignia, explains what each rank actually does, how promotion works, and answers the most common questions.
The Saudi rank structure blends British and American influence — the kingdom’s forces were shaped first by British advisers and later by the close US-Saudi military partnership — but its vocabulary is purely Arab. Ranks such as Naqib, Ra’id, Muqaddam, and Aqid are used in armies across the Arab world, and Saudi insignia is built around the national emblem: a date palm rising above two crossed swords. Below are the full rank tables for the Land Forces, followed by compact tables for the Navy and Air Force, a guide to promotion, and FAQs.
Commissioned Officer Ranks of the Royal Saudi Land Forces
Saudi Army officers earn their commission at the King Abdulaziz Military College in Riyadh, graduating as Mulazim — the equivalent of a second lieutenant. From there, officers climb ten grades to Fariq ‘awal (general), commanding everything from a 30-soldier platoon to divisions of tens of thousands. The table below lists every commissioned rank from lowest to highest, with its shoulder-board insignia, English equivalent, and NATO-style grade.
| Insignia | Rank | English Equivalent | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Mulazim (ملازم) | Second Lieutenant · OF-1 | The entry commissioned rank for graduates of the King Abdulaziz Military College; leads a platoon of about 30 soldiers and learns the fundamentals of command. |
 | Mulazim awwal (ملازم أول) | First Lieutenant · OF-1 | Senior junior officer; serves as a senior platoon leader or a company executive officer supporting the company commander. |
 | Naqib (نقيب) | Captain · OF-2 | Commands a company of roughly 100–150 soldiers; the first rank carrying real independent command responsibility. |
 | Ra’id (رائد) | Major · OF-3 | Serves as a battalion executive officer or a staff officer at brigade level, planning operations and training. |
 | Muqaddam (مقدم) | Lieutenant Colonel · OF-4 | Commands a battalion of several hundred soldiers or holds a senior staff appointment; the senior field-grade rank. |
 | Aqid (عقيد) | Colonel · OF-5 | Commands a regiment or serves as a brigade chief of staff; bridges field command and general-officer leadership. |
 | Amid (عميد) | Brigadier · OF-6 | Commands a brigade of several thousand soldiers; the first of the general-officer grades. |
 | Liwa (لواء) | Major General · OF-7 | Commands a division or holds a major staff appointment at service headquarters or the Ministry of Defence. |
 | Fariq (فريق) | Lieutenant General · OF-8 | Commands a corps or serves as deputy chief of a service; appointments at this level are made by royal decree. |
 | Fariq ‘awal (فريق أول) | General · OF-9 | The highest active rank in the Saudi military, held by the service chiefs and the Chief of the General Staff. |
Mushir (مشير) — Field Marshal — is a special honorary appointment above Fariq ‘awal, not a rank officers are promoted through in the normal course. It is conferred by the King as the highest military distinction in the Kingdom.
NCOs and Enlisted Soldiers of the Land Forces
The Land Forces’ other ranks run from Jundiun (private) to Rayiys ruqaba’ (master sergeant) — seven grades in total. The junior-most soldier, the Jundiun, wears no rank insignia at all; from Jundiun awwal upward, soldiers wear chevron-style patches on the sleeve or chest of the field uniform. The images below show the field-uniform versions of these insignia.
| Insignia | Rank | English Equivalent | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Rayiys ruqaba’ (رئيس رقباء) | Master Sergeant · OR-9 | The senior enlisted adviser; counsels commanders and mentors the junior NCOs of the unit. |
 | Raqib ‘awal (رقيب أول) | Sergeant First Class · OR-7 | Senior NCO; typically serves as a platoon sergeant or section chief. |
 | Raqib (رقيب) | Staff Sergeant · OR-6 | Leads a squad; trains, disciplines, and looks after junior soldiers. |
 | Wakil raqib (وكيل رقيب) | Sergeant · OR-5 | Junior NCO and team leader; the right hand of the senior NCOs. |
 | Earif (عريف) | Corporal · OR-4 | The first leadership grade; leads a small fire team or crew. |
 | Jundiun awwal (جندي أول) | Private First Class · OR-2 | An experienced soldier trusted with extra responsibility, but not yet an NCO. |
| No insignia | Jundiun (جندي) | Private · OR-1 | The entry rank for new recruits after basic training; wears no rank badge. |
Reading Saudi Insignia: Palm, Swords, and Stars
Saudi officer insignia is instantly recognisable. Every shoulder board carries the national emblem — a date palm above two crossed swords — usually at the top of the board, with gold stars below it marking the grade: one star for a Mulazim, rising to crossed swords-and-palm devices with multiple stars for the general ranks. Dress-uniform boards also carry a scroll reading القوات المسلحة السعودية (“Saudi Armed Forces”). The board’s base colour shows the service: olive-drab for the Land Forces, dark blue for the Navy, and air-force blue for the Air Force.
On working and field uniforms the same designs appear as subdued embroidered patches — the enlisted images in the table above show this style. One more distinctive Saudi feature: unlike most militaries, where the navy uses entirely different titles (lieutenant, commander, captain), Saudi naval officers keep the same Arabic titles as their army counterparts — a Naqib in the navy is simply the naval equivalent of a captain, and a Fariq at sea is a vice admiral.
Royal Saudi Naval Forces Ranks
The Royal Saudi Naval Forces — headquartered with the Western Fleet at Jeddah and the Eastern Fleet at Jubail — use the same Arabic titles as the army, mapped to naval English equivalents. Naval officers train at the King Fahd Naval Academy in Jubail. The tables below are compact versions of the full structure: ten commissioned ranks and seven sailor grades.
| Insignia | Rank | English Equivalent | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Mulazim (ملازم) | Ensign · OF-1 | Junior officer of the watch; a new graduate of the King Fahd Naval Academy. |
 | Mulazim awwal (ملازم أول) | Sub-Lieutenant · OF-1 | Stands watches and assists department heads aboard ship. |
 | Naqib (نقيب) | Lieutenant · OF-2 | Heads a ship’s department or division. |
 | Ra’id (رائد) | Lieutenant Commander · OF-3 | Executive officer of smaller vessels; senior department head on larger ones. |
 | Muqaddam (مقدم) | Commander · OF-4 | Commands a frigate, corvette, or submarine. |
 | Aqid (عقيد) | Captain · OF-5 | Commands major warships or a shore establishment. |
 | Amid (عميد) | Commodore · OF-6 | Commands a flotilla or a naval base. |
 | Liwa (لواء) | Rear Admiral · OF-7 | Holds fleet-level operational command. |
 | Fariq (فريق) | Vice Admiral · OF-8 | Senior naval leadership; appointments by royal decree. |
 | Fariq ‘awal (فريق أول) | Admiral · OF-9 | Highest naval rank, held by the Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces. |
| Insignia | Rank | English Equivalent | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Rayiys ruqaba’ (رئيس رقباء) | Master Sergeant · OR-9 | Senior enlisted sailor; advises the command on the crew. |
 | Raqib ‘awal (رقيب أول) | Sergeant First Class · OR-7 | Senior petty-officer grade; leads a department’s ratings. |
 | Raqib (رقيب) | Staff Sergeant · OR-6 | Petty-officer grade supervising a work centre or watch section. |
 | Wakil raqib (وكيل رقيب) | Sergeant · OR-5 | Junior petty-officer grade; leads a small team. |
 | Earif (عريف) | Corporal · OR-4 | Leading-hand grade; first step into leadership at sea. |
 | Jundiun awwal (جندي أول) | Private First Class · OR-2 | Experienced sailor with added responsibility. |
| No insignia | Jundiun (جندي) | Seaman · OR-1 | Entry rank for new naval recruits; wears no rank badge. |
Royal Saudi Air Force Ranks
The Royal Saudi Air Force — one of the largest and best-equipped air arms in the region, flying F-15s, Typhoons, and Tornados — uses the same Arabic officer titles as the other services. The insignia illustrations below carry RAF-style labels from their illustrators (Pilot Officer, Flying Officer, and so on), which map directly onto the Saudi grades: Pilot Officer is Mulazim, Flying Officer is Mulazim awwal, Flight Lieutenant is Naqib, Squadron Leader is Ra’id, Wing Commander is Muqaddam, Group Captain is Aqid, Air Commodore is Amid, Air Vice-Marshal is Liwa, and Air Chief Marshal is Fariq ‘awal.
| Insignia | Rank | English Equivalent | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Mulazim (ملازم) | Second Lieutenant · OF-1 | Junior officer and pilot under training; flies under supervision. |
 | Mulazim awwal (ملازم أول) | First Lieutenant · OF-1 | Qualified pilot flying operational missions. |
 | Naqib (نقيب) | Captain · OF-2 | Leads a flight; an experienced operational pilot. |
 | Ra’id (رائد) | Major · OF-3 | Senior pilot; leads squadron sections or staff work. |
 | Muqaddam (مقدم) | Lieutenant Colonel · OF-4 | Commands a flying squadron. |
 | Aqid (عقيد) | Colonel · OF-5 | Commands a wing or an air base. |
 | Amid (عميد) | Brigadier · OF-6 | Senior air staff and command appointments. |
 | Liwa (لواء) | Major General · OF-7 | Holds a major air command. |
| No dedicated Air Marshal (Fariq) insignia file is available on Commons | Fariq (فريق) | Lieutenant General · OF-8 | Deputy commander of the air force; appointed by royal decree. |
 | Fariq ‘awal (فريق أول) | General · OF-9 | Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force. |
| Insignia | Rank | English Equivalent | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Rayiys ruqaba’ (رئيس رقباء) | Master Sergeant · OR-9 | Senior enlisted airman; advises commanders on the enlisted force. |
 | Raqib ‘awal (رقيب أول) | Sergeant First Class · OR-7 | Senior technician or section chief. |
 | Raqib (رقيب) | Staff Sergeant · OR-6 | Supervises maintenance crews and junior airmen. |
 | Wakil raqib (وكيل رقيب) | Sergeant · OR-5 | Junior NCO leading a small team. |
 | Earif (عريف) | Corporal · OR-4 | First leadership grade for airmen. |
 | Jundiun awwal (جندي أول) | Private First Class · OR-2 | Experienced airman with added responsibility. |
| No insignia | Jundiun (جندي) | Airman · OR-1 | Entry rank for new air force recruits; wears no rank badge. |
How Promotion Works in the Saudi Military
Promotion in the Saudi armed forces combines time in grade, merit, professional education, and — for senior ranks — royal approval. An officer cannot simply wait out the clock: each step up requires a minimum number of years in the current rank, strong annual performance reports, and completion of the right courses. Field-grade officers (Ra’id through Aqid) are expected to pass through the Command and Staff College, and senior officers attend the National Defence University-level war college courses. Promotions to the general ranks — Amid and above — are issued by royal decree, as are the appointments of service chiefs.
For enlisted personnel, advancement depends on time in service, specialist trade courses, vacancies in the next grade, and a clean conduct record. A Jundiun typically rises to Jundiun awwal and then Earif within the first years of service, while the senior NCO grades demand long service and proven leadership. There is also a path upward across the divide: outstanding NCOs can be selected for officer training, though the main officer pipeline remains the military colleges — the King Abdulaziz Military College for the army, the King Fahd Naval Academy for the navy, and the King Faisal Air Academy for the air force. Mandatory retirement ages apply at the top of the ladder, keeping the senior ranks turning over.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest rank in the Saudi Arabian military?
The highest active rank is Fariq ‘awal (فريق أول) — General in the army and air force, Admiral in the navy — held by the service chiefs and the Chief of the General Staff. Above it sits Mushir (Field Marshal), a special honorary appointment conferred by the King rather than earned through promotion.
Do the Saudi Army, Navy, and Air Force use the same rank names?
Yes — unusually, all three services use the same Arabic titles, from Mulazim to Fariq ‘awal for officers and Jundiun to Rayiys ruqaba’ for enlisted. Only the English equivalents change with service tradition (for example, a naval Mulazim is an Ensign, while an army Mulazim is a Second Lieutenant).
What do Saudi rank insignia look like?
Officer shoulder boards centre on the Saudi national emblem — a date palm above two crossed swords — with gold stars below marking the grade, plus a scroll reading \”Saudi Armed Forces\” in Arabic. Enlisted personnel wear chevron-style patches, subdued on field uniforms. Board colours identify the service: olive for land forces, dark blue for the navy, and air-force blue.
How does promotion work in Saudi Arabia’s military?
Officers advance on time in grade, merit reports, and professional courses such as the Command and Staff College, with promotions to general-officer ranks (Amid and above) issued by royal decree. Enlisted promotion depends on time in service, trade qualifications, vacancies, and conduct.
What are the Arabic names of Saudi enlisted ranks?
From lowest to highest: Jundiun (جندي, Private), Jundiun awwal (جندي أول, Private First Class), Earif (عريف, Corporal), Wakil raqib (وكيل رقيب, Sergeant), Raqib (رقيب, Staff Sergeant), Raqib ‘awal (رقيب أول, Sergeant First Class), and Rayiys ruqaba’ (رئيس رقباء, Master Sergeant).
Image credits: Rank insignia images by Qrmoo3 and MrInfo2012, via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 4.0.