Leading aircraftman (LAC) or leading aircraftwoman (LACW) is an

enlisted rank An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or warrant officers, except in United States ...

used by some air forces, with origins from the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. Leading aircraftman is usually immediately senior to aircraftman and immediately below senior aircraftman. The rank was renamed air specialist (class 2) (AS2) in the Royal Air Force in July 2022.

History

The rank originated in the

, when it was formed in 1918. It replaced the

Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...

rank of air mechanic 1st class (which wore the same badge). It was only a trade classification until 1 January 1951, when it became a rank, although it is non-supervisory.

Australia

Leading aircraftman is a rank in the

Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...

(which uses a single chevron rather than a propeller device) where it is the senior aircraftman rank.

Canada

It was a rank until 1968 in the Royal Canadian Air Force being replaced by the army rank of private after unification, which then in 2015 was replaced by aviator (basic).

New Zealand

In the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the rank is awarded after three years of service or completion of a senior trade course, whichever comes first. Leading air cadet (LAC) in the New Zealand Air Training Corps also uses the propeller badge. It is not technically a rank (although many units regard it as a very junior NCO rank), and may be awarded to cadets who have attended a minimum of thirty parades, or completed one year in a unit. The rank is generally awarded to those cadets who show obvious leadership skill.

Gallery

File:RAAF E 3(OR3) LAC rank ins.svg, (

) File:British RAF OR-2a.svg,

( Bangladesh Air Force) File:British RAF OR-2a.svg, ( Ghana Air Force) File:British RAF OR-2a.svg,

( Indian Air Force) File:01-Namibia Air Force-LAC.svg, ( Namibian Air Force) File:British RAF OR-2a.svg, ( Royal New Zealand Air Force) File:Pak-air-force-OR-2a.svg, ( Pakistan Air Force) File:British RAF OR-2a.svg, ( Sri Lanka Air Force) File:British RAF OR-2b.svg, ( Air Force of Zimbabwe)

References