The uniforms appear to range from Soldiers and Technicians, to Sergeants and Naval NCOs, as well as Warrant Officers and Command Sergeants. Imperial enlisted personnel have never been shown to have any type of insignia, but do have various types of uniforms which could indicate senority among the enlisted rank structure. Over the years, however, the Star Wars Expanded Universe has established a system of ranks and insignia which matches closely to the characters in the feature films and the ranks and authority which they most likely held. With such generic terms, the Star Wars films give little hint to a system of ranks and insignia. Grand Moff Tarkin, from Star Wars Episode IV, was referred to as 'Governor'. In the Star Wars films, most Imperial officers were verbally addressed as 'Commander' with the exception of Admirals Ozzel and Piett who were addressed as 'Admiral'. By the time frame of the film Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, the rank squares had become a much simpler collection of red and blue squares with the code cylinders still in use. The confusing color system was used from the start of the Imperial Navy, in which officers had an unequal number of squares (as seen in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith). In Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Imperial officers of the Galactic Empire wore insignia consisting of a confusing collection of multi-colored rank squares (consisting of red, blue, yellow, orange, or white) on the left breast of the officer's uniform with a combination of several metal cylinders (which gave the officer security clearance) to either side of the rank badge. The insignia shown in the three major motion pictures, whose pattern and system was never established in an official publication or by live action dialogue, has since become a major point of speculation, conjecture, and entertainment by Star Wars fans.

Rank Insignia of the Galactic Empire refers to badges of military rank which were displayed in the Star Wars feature films, used by officers of the Imperial Navy and Army.

Star wars imperial navy ranks