Australian Defence Force ranks
This article lists the ranks of officers and enlisted personnel in the Australian Defence Force (ADF)'s three service branches.
The ADF comprises the:
The three Australian services inherited their rank structures from their British counterparts. The insignia used to identify these ranks are also generally similar to those used in the British Armed Forces.
The following tables show the "Equivalent rank and classifications" for the three services, as defined in PACMAN, ADF Pay and Conditions Manual, Vol.2, Chap.1, Part.4, pg.1, sections 1.4.1 and 1.4.2, Edition AL13 (November 2009), People Strategies and Policy, Australian Department of Defence.[1] "Equivalent rank" means the corresponding rank set out under Regulation 8 of the Defence Force Regulations 1952.[2]
Officer ranks
| NATO Code |
Aus/US Code |
NAVY | ARMY | RAAF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General/Flag officers | ||||
| OF-10 | O-11[3] | Admiral of the Fleet | Field Marshal | Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force |
| OF-9 | O-10[4] | Admiral | General | Air Chief Marshal |
| OF-8 | O-9[5] | Vice Admiral | Lieutenant General | Air Marshal |
| OF-7 | O-8 | Rear Admiral | Major General | Air Vice Marshal |
| OF-6 | O-7[6] | Commodore | — | Air Commodore |
| Senior Officers | ||||
| OF-6 | O-7[6] | — | Brigadier | — |
| OF-5 | O-6[6] | Captain (RAN) | Colonel | Group Captain |
| OF-4 | O-5[6] | Commander | Lieutenant Colonel | Wing Commander |
| OF-3 | O-4[6] | Lieutenant Commander | Major | Squadron Leader |
| Junior Officers | ||||
| OF-2 | O-3[6] | Lieutenant | Captain (Army) | Flight Lieutenant |
| OF-1 | O-2 | Sub Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Flying Officer |
| OF-1 | O-1 | Acting Sub Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Pilot Officer |
| Cadets | ||||
| - | - | Midshipman | Officer Cadet | Officer Cadet |
Non-commissioned ranks
| NATO Code |
Aus/US Code |
NAVY | ARMY | RAAF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warrant Officers | |||||
| OR-9 | E-9 | Warrant Officer of the Navy | Warrant Officer (RSM of the Army) | Warrant Officer of the Air Force | |
| OR-9 | E-9 | Warrant Officer | Warrant Officer Class 1 | Warrant Officer | |
| OR-8 | E-8 | - | Warrant Officer Class 2 | - | |
| Senior Non-commissioned Officers | |||||
| OR-8 | E-8 | Chief Petty Officer | - | Flight Sergeant | |
| OR-7 | E-7 | - | Staff Sergeant[1][7] | - | |
| OR-6 | E-6 | Petty Officer | Sergeant | Sergeant | |
| Junior Non-commissioned Officers | |||||
| OR-4 | E-5 | Leading Seaman | Corporal/Bombardier | Corporal | |
| OR-3 | E-4 | - | Lance Corporal/Lance Bombardier | - | |
| Enlisted | |||||
| OR-3 | E-3 | Able Seaman | [Private Proficient][1][8] | Leading Aircraftman/Woman | |
| OR-2 | E-2 | Seaman | Private | Aircraftman/Woman | |
See also
- Australian Army officer rank insignia
- Australian Army enlisted rank insignia
- Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) rank insignia
References and notes
- ^ a b c PACMAN, ADF Pay and Conditions Manual, Vol.2, Chap.1, Part.4, pg.1, sections 1.4.1 and 1.4.2, Edition AL12 (February 2008), People Strategies and Policy, Australian Department of Defence. (Online at http://www.defence.gov.au/DPE/PAC/V2_Ch1_Pt4.htm)
- ^ Defence Force Regulations 1952.
- ^ O-11 ranks - Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal and Marshal of the RAAF - may only be used in wartime and for honorary appointments.
- ^ O-10 ranks - The Chief of the Defence Force (currently ACM Angus Houston) is the sole O-10 ranked appointment.
- ^ O-9 ranks - The Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Chief of Joint Operations, Chief of the Capability Development Executive and Chiefs of the Navy, Army and Air Force comprise the six O-9 ranked appointments.
- ^ a b c d e f Chaplains:
O-3 ranks - Chaplains are commissioned officers without rank, however they are accorded the rank of Captain (O-3) for reasons of protocol, ceremonial occasions and for saluting purposes.
O-4/5 ranks - The more senior division 2 and 3 chaplains are accorded the rank of Major (O-4) and Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), respectively.
O-6 ranks - The three Principal Chaplains representing the three major Christian denominations: Catholic, Anglican, and Protestant, are equivalent to a Colonel (O-6).
O-7 ranks - The heads of the various churches and religions officially associated to the ADF's Religious Advisory Committee, such as the Anglican and Catholic Bishops of the Military, are equivalent to a Brigadier (O-7). - ^ Without prejudice to existing holders of the rank, the Army has ceased to promote soldiers to the rank of Staff Sergeant.[citation needed]
- ^ "Private Proficient" (PTE(P)) is not a separate formal ADF rank; it is a salary proficiency point which is "automatically" granted after 12 months service as a Private - refer http://www.defence.gov.au/DPE/PAC/V2_Ch1_Pt4.htm and http://www.defence.gov.au/DPE/PAC/V2_Ch3_Pt2_Div3.htm
This is the same as the situation with Seaman being re-classified to Able Seaman, and Aircraftman/Women being re-classified Leading Aircraftman/Women after 12 months; the requirements are the same for all three services. Thus, Able Seaman and Leading Aircraftman/Women do not outrank an Army Private.
The relevant regulations are:- Navy - ABR 10 Chapter 5 Para 5.11
- Army - PACMAN Vol 2, Chap 3, Part 2, Division 3, Para 3.2.30(1.)
- Airforce - Defence Instruction (Airforce) Personnel 5-4, Para 5.4