senior non-commissioned rank not comparable to the various grades of warrant officer in the US, although holding the Queen's Warrant and with certain privileges similar to those of officers. In the Army and Royal Marines, they are referred to by their appointment, of which there are many (for example, regimental sergeant major is a WO1 appointment). The US rank is held by single-track career specialists (ranking between enlisted ranks and 2nd lieutenant) and have no NATO equivalent. A RN warrant officer class 1 incorporated the former rank of fleet chief petty officer. There are now executive warrant officers, denoting the senior WO1s on ships and shore establishments. The Command Warrant Officers have been removed under the Royal Navy Command Transformation Programme. The most senior Royal Navy WO1 is the Warrant Officer of the Naval Service (WONS) The rating of WO2 in the Royal Navy was removed in 2014 but reinstated in 2021. The recent senior Warrant Officer of the British Army is the "Army Sergeant Major". In November 2018, the highest Warrant Officer/OR position was created, namely the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chiefs of Staff Committee. RAF Flight Sergeants: Although technically equivalent to British Army Staff Sergeant this does not equate to time served or experience since the RAF does not have the rank of WO2. The RN created the rate of Warrant Officer Class 2 on 1 April 2004. Previously, there was a rate of Charge Chief Petty Officer, who usually ranked as OR-7, although above other CPOs. A Charge Chief Artificer (a highly qualified technical CCPO) could be given a NATO OR-8 status, but still ranked below WO2 in the Army and Royal Marines. On the creation of WO2, all CCPOs were upgraded to this rate. In the US "OR #" system, NCOs are from OR4 onwards hence the equivalents in rank name do not tie in exactly. In the US Army a Corporal is considered an NCO, but a Specialist is not. British Sergeants/Petty Officers are seen as equal to E5 and E6 although Corporals as well as Sergeants may be appointed to an official OR-5 (i.e. E-5) military role as is suited to the particular situation. From April 1, 1999, the Able Rating and Ordinary Rating of the Royal Navy merged and called Able Rating, the grades of Marine 1st Class and Marine 2nd Class of the Royal Marines merged, and Junior Rating and Junior