Wing Commander (rank)
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Wing Commander is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above Squadron Leader and immediately below Group Captain. The name of the rank is the complete phrase, and is never shortened to "Commander."
It has a NATO ranking code of OF-4, and is equivalent to a Commander in the Royal Navy or a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army or the Royal Marines.
Originally, a Wing Commander commanded a wing, which is typically is a group of three or four squadrons of aircraft, but is now more likely to command a squadron.
The rank insignia is based on the three gold bands of Commanders in many world navies; consisting of three narrow light blue bands over slightly wider black bands. This is worn on both the lower sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulder of the flying suit or the casual uniform.
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The command flag used by a Wing Commander is one of the two Triangular shaped command flags used in the RAF. Two thin red lines differentiate this flag from the other.
The title was borrowed for the popular computer game Wing Commander and for a movie based on the game.
See also: Comparative military ranks