Warrant officer#Demise of the royal naval warrants

The warrant officer corps began in the nascent Royal Navy,{{cite book|last=Welsh|first=David R.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n-Q-rP7AnaIC|title=Warrant: The Legacy of Leadership as a Warrant Officer|location=Nashville, Tennessee|publisher=Turner Publishing Company|date=2006|isbn=978-1-59652-053-0|page=6}} which dates its founding to 1546. At that time, noblemen with military experience took command of the new navy, adopting the military ranks of lieutenant and captain. These officers often had no knowledge of life on board a ship—let alone how to navigate such a vessel—and relied on the expertise of the ship's master and other seamen who tended to the technical aspects of running the ship. As cannon came into use, the officers also required gunnery experts; specialist gunners began to appear in the 16th century and also had warrant officer status.{{Cite web|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Pers-Warrant%20Rank.htm|title=A Brief History of Warrant Rank in the Royal Navy|website=Naval-History.Net|access-date=7 April 2010}} Literacy was one thing that most warrant officers had in common, and this distinguished them from the common seamen: according to the Admiralty regulations, "no person shall be appointed to any station in which he is to have charge of stores, unless he can read and write, and is sufficiently skilled in arithmetic to keep an account of them correctly". Since all warrant officers had responsibility for stores, this was enough to debar the illiterate.

In origin, warrant officers were specialist professionals whose expertise and authority demanded formal recognition.{{Cite book |last=Lavery |first=Brian |title=Nelson's Navy: The Ships, Men and Organization |year=1989 |location=Annapolis, Md |publisher=Naval Institute Press |isbn=0-87021-258-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/nelsonsnavyships00lave/page/100 100] |url=https://archive.org/details/nelsonsnavyships00lave/page/100 }} In the 18th century they fell into two clear categories: on the one hand, those privileged to share with the commissioned officers in the wardroom and on the quarterdeck; and on the other, those who ranked with more junior members of the ship's crew.{{cite web|url=http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/sites/default/files/Naval%20Ranks.pdf|title=Information sheet no 096: Naval Ranks|website=National Museum of the Royal Navy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923074318/http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/sites/default/files/Naval%20Ranks.pdf|archive-date=23 September 2015}} Somewhere between the two, however, were the standing officers, notable because, unlike the rest of the ship's company, they remained with the ship even when she was out of commission (e.g. for repair, refitting or replenishment, or whilst laid up); in these circumstances they were under the pay and supervision of the Royal Dockyard.

These classes of warrant officer messed in the wardroom with the commissioned officers:

• the master: the senior warrant officer, a qualified navigator and experienced seaman who set the sails, maintained the ship's log and advised the captain on the seaworthiness of the ship and crew;
• the surgeon: who treated the sick and injured and advised the captain on matters of health;
• the purser: responsible for supplies, food and pay for the crew.

In the early 19th century, they were joined in the wardroom by naval chaplains, who also had warrant officer status (though they were only usually present on larger vessels).

The standing officers were:

• the boatswain: responsible for maintenance of the ship's boats, sails, rigging, anchors and cables;
• the carpenter: responsible for maintenance of the ship's hull and masts;
• the gunner: responsible for care and maintenance of the ship's guns and gunpowder.

Other warrant officers included surgeon's mates, boatswain's mates and carpenter's mates, sailmakers, armourers, schoolmasters (involved in the education of boys, midshipmen and others aboard ship) and clerks. Masters-at-arms, who had formerly overseen small-arms provision on board, had by this time taken on responsibility for discipline.

By the end of the century, the rank structure could be illustrated as follows (the warrant officers are underlined):

File:Warrantchart.png

{{Clear}}

In 1843, the wardroom warrant officers were given commissioned status, while in 1853 the lower-grade warrant officers were absorbed into the new rate of chief petty officer, both classes thereby ceasing to be warrant officers. On 9 July 1864 the standing warrant officers were divided into two grades: warrant officers and chief warrant officers (or "commissioned warrant officers", a phrase that was replaced in 1920 with "commissioned officers promoted from warrant rank", although they were still usually referred to as "commissioned warrant officers", even in official documents).

By the time of the First World War, their ranks had been expanded with the adoption of modern technology in the Royal Navy to include telegraphists, electricians, shipwrights, artificer engineers, etc. Both warrant officers and commissioned warrant officers messed in the warrant officers' mess rather than the wardroom (although in ships too small to have a warrant officers' mess, they did mess in the wardroom). Warrant officers and commissioned warrant officers also carried swords, were saluted by ratings, and ranked between sub-lieutenants and midshipmen.

In 1949, the ranks of warrant officer and commissioned warrant officer were changed to "commissioned officer" and "senior commissioned officer", the latter ranking with but after the rank of lieutenant, and they were admitted to the wardroom, the warrant officers' messes closing down. Collectively, these officers were known as "branch officers", being retitled "special duties" officers in 1956. In 1998, the special duties list was merged with the general list of officers in the Royal Navy, all officers now having the same opportunity to reach the highest commissioned ranks.

The Royal Australian Navy rank of warrant officer (WO) is the Navy's only rank appointed by warrant and is equivalent to the Army's WO1, and the RAAF's warrant officer. The most senior non-commissioned member of the Navy is the Warrant Officer of the Navy (WO-N), an appointment that is only held by one person at a time.

The Australian Army has two warrant officer ranks: warrant officer class two (WO2) and warrant officer class one (WO1), the latter being senior in rank. The equivalent rank of WO2 in the Navy is now chief petty officer, and the RAAF equivalent of the Army's WO2 is now flight sergeant, although in the past there were no equivalents. All warrant officers are addressed as "sir" or "ma'am" by subordinates. To gain the attention of a particular warrant officer in a group, they can be addressed as "Warrant Officer Bloggs, sir/ma'am" or by their appointment, e.g. "ASM Bloggs, sir/ma'am". Some warrant officers hold an appointment such as company sergeant major (WO2) or regimental sergeant major (WO1). The warrant officer appointed to the position of Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army (RSM-A) is the most senior enlisted soldier in the Australian Army and differs from other Army warrant officers in that their rank is just warrant officer (WO). The appointment of RSM-A was introduced in 1983. The rank insignia are: a crown for a WO2 (or a crown in a square on AMCU (camouflage uniform) rank slides); the Australian Commonwealth Coat of Arms (changed from the Royal Coat of Arms in 1976) for a WO1; and the Australian Commonwealth Coat of Arms surrounded by a laurel wreath for the RSM-A.{{cite web |publisher=Australian Government Department of Defence |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/badges_of_rank.cfm |title=Australian Defence Force Badges of Rank and Special Insignia |access-date=19 March 2007 }}{{cite web |website=ComLaw |publisher=Australian Office of Parliamentary Counsel |url=http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2011C00152 |title=Defence Force Regulations 1952 |access-date=4 June 2012 }}

The Royal Australian Air Force rank of warrant officer (WOFF) is the RAAF's only rank appointed by warrant and is equivalent to both the Army's WO1 and the Navy's WO. The most senior non-commissioned member of the RAAF is the Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOFF-AF), an appointment that is only held by one person at a time.

Bangladesh-Navy-OR-9.svg|Master chief petty officer

Bangladesh-army-WO-3.svg|Master warrant officer

08.BAF-CWO.svg|Master warrant officer

Warrant officer is the lowest junior commissioned officer rank in the Bangladesh Army{{cite web |url=https://www.army.mil.bd/Rank-Categories |title=Rank Categories |date= |publisher=Bangladesh Army |access-date=24 September 2019 }} and Bangladesh Air Force,{{cite web |url=https://www.baf.mil.bd/?page_id=1993 |title=BAF Ranks |date= |publisher=Bangladesh Army |access-date=24 September 2019 |archive-date=7 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807025356/https://www.baf.mil.bd/?page_id=1993 }} ranking below senior warrant officer and master warrant officer.

In the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force, the cadre of warrant officers includes the specific ranks of warrant officer ({{langx|fr|adjudant}}), master warrant officer ({{Lang|fr|adjudant-maître}}), and chief warrant officer ({{lang|fr|adjudant-chef}}). Before unification in 1968, there were two ranks of warrant officer (WO2 and WO1) in the Canadian Army and RCAF that followed the British structure.

File:Canadian Army OR-9a.svg|Insignia of a chief warrant officer

File:Canadian Army OR-8.svg|Insignia of a master warrant officer

File:Canadian Army OR-7.svg|Insignia of a warrant officer

Junior commissioned officers are the Indian Armed Forces equivalent of warrant officer ranks. Those in the Indian Air Force actually use the ranks of junior warrant officer, warrant officer and master warrant officer.

In the British Indian Army, warrant officer ranks existed but were restricted to British personnel, mostly in specialist appointments such as conductor and sub-conductor. Unlike in the British Army, although these appointments were warranted, the appointment and rank continued to be the same and the actual rank of warrant officer was never created. Indian equivalents were viceroy's commissioned officers.

{{main|Malaysian military ranks}}

In the Malaysian Armed Forces, warrant officers ({{langx|ms|pegawai Waran}}) are the highest ranks for non commissioned officers.

The New Zealand Army usage is the same as the British Army, having two ranks: warrant officer class two (WO2), addressed as "sergeant major", and warrant officer class one (WO1), addressed as "sir" or "ma'am". There are also appointments such as company and squadron sergeant major (CSM and SSM) which are usually WO2 positions and regimental sergeant major (RSM), which are usually WO1 positions. The highest ranking WO1 holds the position of Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA).

The Royal New Zealand Navy has a single warrant officer rank, addressed as "sir" or "ma'am". This rank is equivalent to the Army WO1. The RNZN's highest-ranking warrant officer is the Warrant Officer of the Navy.

The Royal New Zealand Air Force also has a single warrant officer rank, equivalent to the Navy warrant officer, and the Army warrant officer class 1 (WO1). A warrant officer in the RNZAF is addressed as "sir" or "ma'am". Previously an aircrew warrant officer was known as master aircrew; however this rank and designation is no longer used. The RNZAF also has a post of Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOAF), the most senior warrant officer position in the RNZAF.

There is also the Warrant Officer of the Defence Force (WODF). This appointment is held by a warrant officer class one (if the recipient originated from the New Zealand Army), or warrant officer (if the recipient originated from the Royal New Zealand Navy or the Royal New Zealand Air Force).

{{main|Boys' Brigade in Singapore#Ranks}}

The rank of warrant officer is the highest rank a Boys' Brigade boy can attain in secondary school.

The rank of warrant officer is given to selected non-commissioned officers in National Civil Defence Cadet Corps units. It is above the rank of staff sergeant, and below the rank of cadet lieutenant.{{Cite web |url=http://www.uniforminsignia.org/?option=com_insigniasearch&Itemid=53&result=3489 |title=National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) / National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC )|website=www.uniforminsignia.org |language=en-gb |access-date=2018-11-20 }} It is the highest rank a cadet can attain in the NCDCC while they are in secondary school. The rank insignia is one point-up chevron, a Singapore coat of arms, and a garland below.

In the Singapore Armed Forces, warrant officers begin as third warrant officers (3WO), previously starting at the rank of second warrant officer, abbreviated differently as WO2 instead. This rank is given to former specialists who have attained the rank of master sergeant and have either gone through, or are about to go through the Warfighter Course at the Specialist and Warrant Officer Advanced School (SWAS) in the Specialist and Warrant Officer Institute (SWI). In order to be promoted to a second warrant officer (2WO) and above, they must have been selected for and graduated from the joint warrant officer course at the SAFWOS Leadership School.{{cite web |publisher=MINDEF |url=http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/about_us/history/maturing_saf/v11n01_history.html |title=History Snippets, 1992 – The SAF Warrant Officer School |date=7 January 2007 |access-date=19 March 2007 }} Warrant officers rank between specialists and commissioned officers. They ordinarily serve as battalion or brigade regimental sergeant majors. Many of them serve as instructors and subject-matter experts in various training establishments. Warrant officers are also seen on the various staffs headed by the respective specialist officers. There are six grades of warrant officer (3WO, 2WO, 1WO, MWO, SWO and CWO).

Warrant officers used to have their own mess. For smaller camps, this mess is combined with the officers' mess. Warrant officers have similar responsibilities to commissioned officers.

Warrant officers are usually addressed as {{lang|ms|encik}} ('mister' in Malay language) or as "warrant (surname)" or "{{lang|ms|encik}} (surname)". Exceptions to this are those who hold appointments. Warrant officers holding the appointment such as commanding officer (CO) and officer commanding (OC) are to be addressed as "sir" by other ranks, and those holding sergeant major appointments such as regimental sergeant major (RSM), company sergeant major (CSM), formation sergeant major (FSM), institute sergeant major (ISM) and the Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) are to be addressed as "sergeant major" by other ranks. Also, all warrant officers holding the rank of chief warrant officer (CWO) are to be addressed as "sir" by other ranks. Since all warrant officers are non-commissioned officers, they are not saluted.

Although ceremonial swords are usually reserved for commissioned officers, warrant officers of the rank of master warrant officer (MWO) and above are presented with ceremonial swords, but continue to carry the pace stick, with the sword sheathed during drills and parades.

In the Singapore Civil Defence Force, there are two warrant officer ranks. These ranks are (in order of ascending seniority) warrant officer (1) and warrant officer (2).{{Cite web |url=https://www.cmpb.gov.sg/web/portal/cmpb/home/life-in-ns/saf/ranks-and-drill-commands |title=Ranks and drill commands |work=Central Manpower Base |publisher=Singapore Ministry of Defence |language=en |access-date=2018-11-26}} Previously, before the Home Team Unified Rank Scheme was introduced, there were two additional ranks of warrant officer, namely senior warrant officer (1) and senior warrant officer (2). Both ranks are now obsolete, although existing holders of these ranks were allowed to keep their rank.

In the South African National Defence Force, a warrant officer (WO) is set apart from those who hold a non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank. Warrant officers hold a warrant of appointment endorsed by the Minister of Defence. Warrant officers hold very specific powers, which are set out in the Defence Act and the Military Defence Supplementary Measures Act. Before 2008, there were two classes – warrant officer class 1 and 2. A warrant officer class 1 could be appointed to positions such as regimental sergeant major, formation sergeant major or Sergeant Major of the Army or Warrant Officer of the Navy. In 2008, five new warrant officer ranks were introduced above warrant officer class 1: senior warrant officer (SWO), master warrant officer (MWO), chief warrant officer (CWO), senior chief warrant officer (SCWO) and master chief warrant officer (MCWO).{{cite news |title=Minister approves new ranks for Warrant Officers |url=http://www.dod.mil.za/news/news2008/sep2008/Sep2008-3.pdf |date=September 2008 |work=South African Soldier |page=17 |publisher=South Africa Department of Defence |access-date=8 January 2014 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040823/http://www.dod.mil.za/news/news2008/sep2008/Sep2008-3.pdf }}

In the South African Police Service, there is only a single warrant officer (WO) rank.

{{Main|Warrant officer (United Kingdom)}}

File:RSM of the Bermuda Regiment 1992.jpg of the Royal Bermuda Regiment, WO1 Herman Eve, in 1992]]

{{multiple image

| align = left

| footer = Warrant officer classes of the Royal Navy

| width = 120

| image1 = RN WO2 cropped.jpg

| alt1 = Crown flanked by wreaths

| caption1 = WO2 badge

| image2 = RN WO1 Sleeve Badge cropped.jpg

| alt2 = Coat of arms

| caption2 = WO1 badge

}}

In 1973, warrant officers reappeared in the Royal Navy, but these appointments followed the army model, with the new warrant officers being ratings rather than officers. They were initially known as fleet chief petty officers (FCPOs), but were renamed warrant officers in the 1980s. They rank with warrant officers class one in the British Army and Royal Marines and with warrant officers in the Royal Air Force.

There are executive warrant officers for commands and ships.{{cite web |title=The Executive Warrant Officer |url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Reference-Library/~/media/Files/Navy-PDFs/News-and-Events/Naval+Publications/BR+2/brd2book/ch23.pdf |publisher=Royal Navy |date=4 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004235001/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Reference-Library/~/media/Files/Navy-PDFs/News-and-Events/Naval%20Publications/BR%202/brd2book/ch23.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2013 }} Five branches (surface ships, submarines, Royal Marines, Fleet Air Arm, and Maritime Reserves) each have a command warrant officer.{{cite web |title=The Command Warrant Officer (Cwo) |url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Reference-Library/~/media/Files/Navy-PDFs/News-and-Events/Naval+Publications/BR+2/brd2book/ch20.pdf |publisher=Royal Navy |date=4 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004221428/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Reference-Library/~/media/Files/Navy-PDFs/News-and-Events/Naval%20Publications/BR%202/brd2book/ch20.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2013}} The senior RN WO is the Warrant Officer of the Royal Navy.{{cite news |title=Warrant Officer in a class of his own |url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Latest-News/2013/April/24/130424-Warrant-Officer-First-Class-in-a-class-of-his-own |date=24 April 2013 |publisher=Royal Navy }}{{cite news |title=New Base Warrant Officer at Culdrose |url=http://www.fleetairarmoa.org/news/new-base-warrant-officer-at-culdrose |publisher=Fleet Air Arm Officers Association |date=2 October 2013}} Under the Navy Command Transformation Programme, there are now a Fleet Commander's Warrant Officer and a Second Sea Lord's Warrant Officer, all working with the Warrant Officer to the Royal Navy, taking over the roles of the Command Warrant Officers.{{cite web |url=http://docplayer.net/185112612-The-semaphore-circular.html |title=The Semaphore Circular May 2020 |date=1 May 2020 |publisher=Royal Naval Association |access-date=18 July 2020 |quote=Our source was the Fleet Commander's Warrant Officer, a newly created post and itself part of the Navy Command Transformation programme. WO Mick Turnbull works alongside the Warrant Officer of the Naval Service as well as First and Second Sea Lords WOs. This is a change from the former situation where each fighting arm (Surface Ships, Submarines, Royal Marines, Reserves and Fleet Air Arm) had its own WO. It is one part of a shift to a whole naval force focus }}{{cite web |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/images/navynews/archivepdfs/2020s/2020/navy-news-march-2020-issue-788.pdf |title=Navy News March 2020 |date=1 March 2020 |publisher=Royal Navy |access-date=18 July 2020 |quote=Helping to deliver transformation is the new Warrant Officer of the Naval Service, WO1 Carl 'Speedy' Steedman. He will be working with the holders of two brand new positions; Second Sea Lord's Warrant Officer, WO1 Ian Wilson and Fleet Commander's Warrant Officer, WO1 Mick Turnbull, together with the RM Corps RSM, WO1 Dave Mason.}}{{cite web |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/command_warrant_officers#incoming-1623567 |title=Command Warrant Officers |date=18 August 2020 |publisher=Navy Command Secretariat |via=WhatDoTheyKnow |access-date=22 August 2020 }}

In 2004, the rank of warrant officer class 2 was introduced. However, the rank was phased out in April 2014,{{Cite magazine |title=Single rate for warrant officers |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/images/navynews/archivepdfs/2010s/2014/navy-news-january-2014-issue-714.pdf |magazine=201401 Navy News Jan 14 |page=35 |access-date=29 February 2020 |publisher=Royal Navy }} but is being reinstated for non-technical and technical branches of the Royal Navy in 2021.{{Cite tweet |user=WO1MickTurnbull |number=1356635634094473219 |title=Good afternoon the WO2 rank was kept in Service for the Royal Marines and Submariner engineers. However as part of Royal Navy Transformation the WO2 Rank has now been introduced across the Service. The first recipients were notified on 18 Jan 21 and others have now been selected.}}

File:Army-GBR-OR-09a.svg (British Army)]]

In the British Army, there are two warrant ranks, warrant officer class two (WO2) and warrant officer class one (WO1), the latter being the senior of the two. These ranks were previously abbreviated as WOII and WOI (using Roman instead of Indo-Arabic numerals). "Warrant officer first class" or "second class" is incorrect. The rank immediately below WO2 is staff sergeant (or colour sergeant). From 1938 to 1940 there was a WOIII platoon sergeant major rank.{{cite book |page=272 |last=Banham |first=Tony |title=The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru: Britain's Forgotten Wartime Tragedy |publisher=Hong Kong University Press |date=2006 |isbn=978-962-209-771-1 }}

In March 2015, the new appointment of Army Sergeant Major was created, though the holder is not in fact a warrant officer but a commissioned officer holding the rank of captain.{{cite news |title=Army |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/61742/supplement/3/data.pdf |access-date=26 May 2023 |work=The London Gazette |issue=22585 |date=25 October 2016}}{{cite news |title=Royal Army Medical Corps |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/60765/supplement/1689/data.pdf |access-date=26 May 2023 |work=The London Gazette |date=28 January 2014}} The creation of the appointment of command sergeant major was announced in 2009.{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Bruce |title=CGS outlines new British Army senior posts amid culling of generals |work=Jane's Defence Weekly |date=1 February 2015 |url=http://www.janes.com/article/48536/cgs-outlines-new-british-army-senior-posts-amid-culling-of-generals }}

Before 1879, the Royal Marines had no warrant officers:{{cite web |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1879/jul/29/navy-the-royal-marines-ser-geants |title= Navy — The Royal Marines — Sergeants. — Question. |website=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) |date=29 July 1879 |access-date=1 August 2017 }} by the end of 1881, the Royal Marines had given warrant rank to their sergeant-majors and some other senior non-commissioned officers, in a similar fashion to the army.{{London Gazette |title=Warrant Officers |issue=25044 |date=2 December 1881 |page=6466 }} When the army introduced the ranks of warrant officer class I and class II in 1915, the Royal Marines did the same shortly after.{{London Gazette |title=Whereas there was this day read at the Board a Memorial from the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty... |issue=29364 |date=12 November 1915 |page=11174 }} From February 1920, Royal Marines warrant officers class I (renamed warrant officers) were given the same status as Royal Navy warrant officers and the rank of warrant officer class II was abolished in the Royal Marines, with no further promotions to this rank.{{London Gazette |title=Whereas there was this day read at the Board a Memorial from the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty... Schedule V, Section X: Miscellaneous Provisions |issue=31765 |date=3 February 1920 |page=1414 }} Retrieved 26 May 2023/

The marines had introduced warrant officers equivalent in status to the Royal Navy's from 1910 with the Royal Marines gunner (originally titled gunnery sergeant-major), equivalent to the navy's warrant rank of gunner.{{London Gazette |title=Whereas there was this day read at the Board a Memorial from the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty... |issue=28437 |date=15 November 1910 |page=8163 }}{{London Gazette |title=Whereas there was this day read at the Board a Memorial from the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty... |issue=30131 |date=15 June 1917 |page=5870 }} Development of these ranks closely paralleled that of their naval counterparts: as in the Royal Navy, by the Second World War there were warrant officers and commissioned warrant officers (e.g. staff sergeant majors, commissioned staff sergeant majors, Royal Marines gunners, commissioned Royal Marines gunners, etc.). As officers, they were saluted by junior ranks in the Royal Marines and the army. These all became (commissioned) branch officer ranks in 1949, and special duties officer ranks in 1956. These ranks would return in 1972, this time similar to their army counterparts, and not as the RN did before. The most senior Royal Marines warrant officer is the Corps Regimental Sergeant Major. Unlike the RN proper (since 2014), it retains both WO ranks.

The Royal Air Force first used the ranks of sergeant major first and second class as inherited from the Royal Flying Corps, with the rank badges of the Royal coat of arms and the crown respectively. In the 1930s, these ranks were renamed warrant officer class I and II as in the Army. In 1939, the RAF abolished the rank of WOII and retained just the WOI rank, referred to as just warrant officer (WO), which it remains to this day. The RAF has no equivalent to WO2 (NATO OR-8), an RAF WO being equivalent to WO1 (NATO OR-9) and wearing the same badge of rank, the Royal coat of arms. The correct way to address a warrant officer is "sir" or "ma'am" by airmen and "mister or warrant officer (surname)" by officers. Most RAF warrant officers do not hold appointments as in the army or Royal Marines; the exception to this is the station warrant officer, who is considered a "first amongst equals" on an RAF station. Warrant officer is the highest non-commissioned rank and ranks above flight sergeant.

In 1946, the RAF renamed its aircrew warrant officers to master aircrew, a designation which still survives. In 1950, it renamed warrant officers in technical trades to master technicians, a designation which survived only until 1964.

The most senior RAF warrant officer by appointment, although holding the same rank as other RAF warrant officers (OR9), is the Warrant Officer of the Royal Air Force, previously known as the Chief of the Air Staff's Warrant Officer from the post's creation in 1996 until 2021.

{{Main|Warrant officer (United States)}}

File:US Army Special Operations Center of Excellence Command Chief Warrant Officer CW5 Robert W. Hart.png, {{circa|2018}}]]

In the United States Armed Forces, a warrant officer (grade W-1 to W-5) is ranked as an officer above the senior-most enlisted ranks, as well as officer cadets and officer candidates, but below the officer grade of O‑1 (NATO: OF‑1). All warrant officers rate a salute{{cn|date=April 2022}} from those ranked below them; i.e., the enlisted ranks. Warrant officers are highly skilled, single-track specialty officers, and while the ranks are authorized by Congress, each branch of the military selects, manages, and utilizes warrant officers in slightly different ways. For appointment to warrant officer (W-1), normally a warrant is approved by the service secretary of the respective branch of service. However, appointment to this rank can come via commission by the President, but this is less common. For the chief warrant officer ranks (CW‑2 to CW‑5), these warrant officers are commissioned by the President. Both warrant officers and chief warrant officers take the same oath of office as regular commissioned officers (O-1 to O-10).{{Cite web |url=http://usawocc.army.mil/History/index.htm |title=Warrant Officer History |publisher=U.S. Army Warrant Officer Career Center |access-date=18 March 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070624203329/http://usawocc.army.mil/History/index.htm |archive-date=24 June 2007 }}

A small number of warrant officers command detachments, units, activities, vessels, aircraft, and armored vehicles, as well as lead, coach, train, and counsel subordinates. However, the warrant officer's primary task is to serve as a technical expert, providing valuable skills, guidance, and expertise to commanders and organizations in their particular field.

All U.S. armed services employ warrant officer grades except the U.S. Space Force. Although still technically authorized, the U.S. Air Force discontinued appointing new warrant officers in 1959, retiring its last chief warrant officer from the Air Force Reserve in 1992. Space Force inherited the same lack of warrant officers from the Air Force, although its inaugural Chief Master Sergeant, Roger A. Towberman, stated in a January 2021 interview that Space Force would study the issue and decide whether or not to introduce them. In February 2024, U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General David W. Allvin announced that the Air Force will re-introduce the warrant officer rank within the information technology and cyber fields as a way to maintain technical leadership with those skills. The first class of 78 future warrant officers were selected in August and began training at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, in October 2024.{{Cite web |title=Space Force Senior Enlisted Advisor Talks Future of Enlisted Force |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2462396/space-force-senior-enlisted-advisor-talks-future-of-enlisted-force/ |access-date=2022-07-04 |publisher=U.S. Department of Defense }}{{Cite web | url=https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3676887/air-force-to-re-introduce-warrant-officer-rank-other-major-changes/ |title=Air Force to re-introduce warrant officer rank, other major changes |date=2024-02-14 |first=Todd |last=Lopez |publisher=United States Air Force }}

The U.S. Army utilizes warrant officers heavily{{efn|see Senior Warrant Officer Advisory Council [https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a563031.pdf CW4 Richard C. Myers and CW5 Todd M. Boudreau (Spring 2011) Charging toward an even brighter future]}} and separates them into two types: Aviators and technical. Army aviation warrant officers pilot both rotary-wing and fixed wing aircraft and represent the largest group of Army warrant officers. Technical warrant officers in the Army specialize in a single branch technical area such as intelligence, sustainment, supply, military police, or special forces; and provide advice and support to commanders. For example, a military police officer and a military intelligence officer both have to be branch qualified in their respective fields, learning how to manage the entire spectrum of their profession. However, within those broad fields warrant officers include such specialists as CID Special Agents (a very specific track within the military police) and Counterintelligence Special Agents (a very specific track within military intelligence). These technical warrant officers allow for a soldier with subject matter expertise (like non-commissioned officers), but with the authority of a commissioned officer. Both technical and aviation warrant officers go through initial training and branch assignment at the Army Warrant Officer Candidate School (WOCS), followed by branch-specific training and education paths. Technical warrant officers are generally selected from the non-commissioned officer ranks (typically E-6 through E-9). Aviation warrant officer candidates can apply from all branches of service, including junior enlisted and non-prior service civilians (aviation warrant officers join through the Warrant Officer Flight Training Program).

The U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard discontinued the grade of W-1 in 1975, appointing and commissioning all new entrants as chief warrant officer two (pay grade W-2, with rank abbreviation of CWO2). This was to prevent a pay decrease that an entrant may take since all Navy chief warrant officers are selected strictly from the chief petty officer pay grades (E-7 through E-9). The Coast Guard allows E-6 personnel to apply for chief warrant officer rank, but only after they have displayed their technical ability by earning a placement in the top 50% on the annual eligibility list for advancement to E-7. In 2018, the U.S. Navy expanded the warrant program, re-implementing the W-1 pay grade for cyber warrant officers and accepting three new WO1s in fiscal year 2019.{{Cite web |url=https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=105858 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710010530/http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=105858 |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 July 2018 |title=Navy Expands Cyber Warrant Program |publisher=Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs, United States Navy }} This was further expanded in 2020 when the Navy introduced the Air Vehicle Pilot (AVP) program. Personnel commissioning as AVPs will be awarded the rank of W-1.{{Cite web |last=US Navy |date=2020 |title=NAVADMIN 315/20 |url=https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Messages/NAVADMIN/NAV2020/NAV20315.txt |website=MyNavyHR }}

Warrant officers in the Army holding the rank of warrant officer 1 (WO1) are formally addressed as "Mr/Ms" [last name]. Upon promotion to chief warrant officer 2, "Chief" becomes an additional authorized term of address. WO1s are informally addressed as "Chief" by many soldiers as well. In the Navy, warrant officers are typically addressed as "Mr/Ms" [last name], "Chief Warrant Officer", or informally as "Warrant" regardless of their grade.

The U.S. Maritime Service (USMS), which is established at 46 U.S. Code § 51701, falls under the authority of the Maritime Administration of the Department of Transportation and is authorized to appoint warrant officers. In accordance with 46 U.S. Code § 51701, the USMS rank structure must be the same as that of the U.S. Coast Guard while uniforms worn are those of the U.S. Navy with distinctive USMS insignia and devices. The USMS has appointed warrant officers, of various specialty fields, during and after World War II.{{USC|46|51701}} (c) Ranks, Grades, and Ratings.— The ranks, grades, and ratings for personnel of the Service shall be the same as those prescribed for personnel of the Coast Guard.{{cite web |url=http://www.usmm.org/usmsinsignia.html |title=United States Maritime Service Insignia of Rank and Distinctive Devices and Uniforms |website=U.S. Merchant Marine and the U.S. Maritime Service |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820034215/http://www.usmm.org/usmsinsignia.html |date=2002 |archive-date=20 August 2008 |access-date=1 August 2017 }}

Warrant officer rank is also occasionally used in law enforcement agencies to grant status and pay to certain senior specialist officers who are not in command, such as senior technicians or helicopter pilots. As in the armed forces, they rank above sergeants, but below lieutenants. For example, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol had several warrant officer helicopter pilot positions from the 1960s until the mid-1980s. The WO insignia was a silver bar with a black square in the center. The WO ranks were abolished when the aviation program expanded and nearly twenty trooper pilot positions were created. {{anchor|technical lieutenant}}The New York State Police rank of technical lieutenant is similar to a warrant officer rank insofar as it is used to grant commissioned officer authority to non-commissioned officers with extensive technical expertise.

File:Bangladesh-army-WO-1.svg|Warrant officer
{{small|({{langx|bn|ওয়ারেন্ট অফিসার|Ōẏārēnṭa aphisāra}})}}
(Bangladesh Army){{cite web |title=Ranks & insignia |url=https://joinbangladesharmy.army.mil.bd/home/page/ranks-insignia |website=joinbangladesharmy.army.mil.bd |access-date=11 October 2020}}

File:Canadian Army OR-7.svg|Warrant officer
{{small|({{langx|fr|Adjudant}})}}
(Canadian Army){{cite web |title=Ranks and appointment |url=https://www.canada.ca/en/services/defence/caf/military-identity-system/rank-appointment-insignia.html |website=canada.ca |date=23 November 2017 |publisher=Government of Canada |access-date=28 May 2021}}

File:blank.svg|Warrant officer
(Nigerian Army){{cite book |last1=Smaldone |first1=Joseph P. |editor1-last=Metz |editor1-first=Helen Chapin |editor-link=Helen Chapin Metz |title=Nigeria: a country study |series=Area Handbook |date=1992 |publisher=Library of Congress |location=Washington, D.C. |lccn=92009026 |pages=296–297 |edition=5th |url=https://www.loc.gov/resource/frdcstdy.nigeriacountryst00metz_0/?sp=340 |access-date=21 October 2021 |chapter=National Security}}

File:British RAF OR-9.svg|Warrant officer
(Royal Air Force){{cite web |title=RAF Ranks |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/raf-ranks/ |website=raf.mod.uk/ |publisher=Royal Air Force |access-date=21 September 2021}}

File:British Army OR-8a.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Antigua and Barbuda Regiment){{cite web |title=Paratus |author1=Antigua & Barbuda Defence Force |url=http://abdf.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/ABDF_mag_2011.pdf |publisher=Regional Publications Ltd. |access-date=2 March 2020 |pages=12–13 |archive-date=7 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607174320/http://abdf.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/ABDF_mag_2011.pdf }}

File:Botswana-Army-OR-8.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Botswana Ground Force){{Cite web|url=http://www.gov.bw/en/Ministries--Authorities/Ministries/State-President/Botswana-Defence-Force-BDF/About-the-BDF1/Ranks-and-Insignia/ |title=Ranks |publisher=Government of Botswana |access-date=22 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826111806/http://www.gov.bw/en/Ministries--Authorities/Ministries/State-President/Botswana-Defence-Force-BDF/About-the-BDF1/Ranks-and-Insignia/ |archive-date=26 August 2016 }}

File:05.Gambian Army-WO2.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Gambian National Army)

File:Ghana-Army-OR-8.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Ghana Army)

File:Kenya-Army-OR-8.png|Warrant officer class 2
(Kenya Army){{cite web |title=KDF Ranks |url=https://mod.go.ke/kdf-ranks/ |website=mod.go.ke |publisher=Ministry of Defence - Kenya |access-date=9 December 2022}}

File:blank.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Lesotho Army){{cite web |title=Ranks in the Army |url=http://www.ldf.gov.ls/ranks.html |publisher=Lesotho Defence Force |access-date=5 May 2021}}

File:blank.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Malawi Army)

File:05-Namibia Army-WO2.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Namibian Army){{cite magazine |title=Government Notice |magazine=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia |date=20 August 2010 |volume=4547 |pages=99–102 |url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2010/4547.pdf |access-date=20 December 2021}}

File:05-Rwanda Army-WO2.svg|Warrant officer II
(Rwandan Land Forces){{cite web |title=RDF Insignia |url=https://www.mod.gov.rw/rdf/insignia |website=mod.gov.rw |publisher=Government of the Republic of Rwanda |access-date=12 June 2021}}

File:Seychelles-Army-OR-8.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Seychelles Infantry Unit){{cite web |title=Rank structure |url=https://www.spdf.sc/rank-structure/ |website=spdf.sc |publisher=Seychelles People's Defence Forces |access-date=4 June 2021}}

File:Sierra Leone-Army-OR-8.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Sierra Leone Army)

File:SAA-OR-8.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(South African Army){{cite web |title=Uniform: Rank insignia |url=http://www.army.mil.za/aboutus/uniform/rankinsignia.htm |website=army.mil.za |publisher=Department of Defence (South Africa) |access-date=29 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020110337/http://www.army.mil.za/aboutus/uniform/rankinsignia.htm |archive-date=20 October 2020}}

File:blank.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Eswatini Army)

File:05-Tanzania Army-WO2.svg|Warrant officer class 2
{{small|({{langx|sw|Afisa Mteule Daraja la Pili}})}}
(Tanzanian Army)

File:Uganda-Army-OR-8.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Ugandan Land Forces){{cite journal |title=Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces Act |journal=The Uganda Gazette |date=18 September 2019 |volume=CXII |issue=46 |pages=1851–1854 |url=https://www.updf.go.ug/Gazette.pdf |access-date=29 May 2021 |publisher=Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation |archive-date=14 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814162155/https://www.updf.go.ug/Gazette.pdf }}

File:Zambia-Army-OR-8.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Zambian Army)

File:Zimbabwe-Army-OR-8.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Zimbabwe National Army)

File:Coat of arms of Antigua and Barbuda.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Antigua and Barbuda Regiment)

File:Botswana-Army-OR-9.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Botswana Ground Force)

File:06.Gambian Army-WO1.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Gambian National Army)

File:Ghana-Army-OR-9.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Ghana Army)

File:blank.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Kenya Army)

File:blank.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Lesotho Army)

File:blank.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Malawi Army)

File:06-Namibia Army-WO1.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Namibian Army)

File:06-Rwanda Army-WO1.svg|Warrant officer II
(Rwandan Land Forces)

File:Seychelles-Army-OR-9.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Seychelles Infantry Unit)

File:blank.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Sierra Leone Army)

File:SAA-OR-9.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(South African Army)

File:blank.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Eswatini Army)

File:06-Tanzania Army-WO1.svg|Warrant officer class 2
{{small|({{langx|sw|Afisa Mteule Daraja la Pili}})}}
(Tanzanian Army)

File:Uganda-Army-OR-9.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Ugandan Land Forces)

File:Coat of arms of Zambia.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Zambian Army)

File:Coat of arms of Zimbabwe.svg|Warrant officer class 2
(Zimbabwe National Army)

• List of comparative military ranks

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Military ranks by country}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}

Category:Military ranks of Australia

Category:Military ranks of Canada

Category:Military ranks of Singapore

Category:Military ranks of the Commonwealth

Category:Military ranks of the Francophonie

Category:Military ranks of the United States