Group captain Group captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in many air forces. Group captain has a NATO rank code of OF-5, meaning that it ranks above wing commander, immediately below air commodore and is the equivalent of the naval rank of captain and the rank of colonel in other services. While the rank originated in the British Royal Air Force (RAF), group captain is a rank used by the air forces of many Commonwealth and other countries that have been influenced by British military culture. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries
Structure of the Royal Air Force in 1989 air defence missile squadron. In 1989 the Royal Air Force was speedily replacing its aging Phantom fighters with the more modern and more capable Tornado F3, whose superior supersonic acceleration, powerful radar and beyond-visual-range missiles made it the ideal platform to intercept and destroy Soviet bombers attacking the UK. In case of war, No. 11 (Air Defence) Group would have taken command of the five UK-based Hawk T.1 training squadrons, which, armed with AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles would have become the last line of defense against Soviet air attacks. No. 18 (Maritime) Group was commanded by an Air Marshal based at