The Australian Defence Force (ADF) utilises ranks for the officers and non-commissioned personnel of its three service branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the Australian Army, and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Each of the branches largely inherited the rank structure and rank insignia from their counterparts in the British Armed Forces.
The following tables show the "equivalent rank and classifications" for the three services, as defined in the ADF Pay and Conditions Manual.[1] "Equivalent rank" means the corresponding rank set out under Regulation 8 of the Defence Force Regulations 1952.[2]
Commissioned officer ranks
edit| NATO code | Aus code | Navy | Army | RAAF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flag/General/Air officers[1][3] | ||||
| OF-10 | O-11[a] | Admiral of the Fleet | Field Marshal | Marshal of the RAAF |
| OF-9 | O-10[b] | Admiral | General | Air Chief Marshal |
| OF-8 | O-9[c] | Vice Admiral | Lieutenant general | Air Marshal |
| OF-7 | O-8 | Rear Admiral | Major General | Air Vice Marshal |
| OF-6 | O-7 | Air Commodore | ||
| Senior officers | ||||
| OF-6 | O-7[d] | Commodore Principal Chaplain Principal MSWO | Brigadier | — |
| OF-5 | O-6[d] | Captain (RAN) Senior Chaplain (Class 4) Principal MSWO (Class 4) | Colonel | Group Captain |
| OF-4 | O-5[d] | Commander Chaplain/MSWO (Div/Class 1-3) | Lieutenant Colonel | Wing Commander |
| OF-3 | O-4[d] | Lieutenant Commander | Major | Squadron Leader |
| Junior officers | ||||
| OF-2 | O-3[d] | 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 |
| — | O-0 | Midshipman | — | Officer Cadet |
| Cadets | ||||
| — | — | — | Officer Cadet/Staff Cadet(RMC) | - |
Warrant Officer ranks
edit| NATO code | Aus/ code | Navy | Army | RAAF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warrant officers | ||||
| OR-10 | E-10 | SEAC | SEAC | SEAC |
| WO-N | RSM-A | WOFF-AF | ||
| OR-9 | E-9 | Warrant Officer | Warrant Officer Class 1 | Warrant officer |
| OR-8 | E-8 | — | Warrant Officer Class 2 | — |
Note that the most senior Warrant Officer in each of the three services is appointed and promoted to either Warrant Officer of the Navy (WO-N), Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army (RSM-A), or Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOFF-AF), as appropriate. Although these are positional appointments, these three members hold the rank of Warrant Officer in their respective services and each wear special insignia, different from the rank insignia worn by other warrant officers.[citation needed]
In 2023 the E10 position of Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Force (SEAC) was created. This position can be staffed by a member from any of the three services and is rotational.[6]
The RAN and the RAAF have two warrant officer ranks, the army has three. The soldier appointed Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army (RSM-A) holds the unique Army rank of Warrant Officer (introduced in 1991 and senior to WO1). The Army rank of WO2 is the equivalent of the RAN and the RAAF's most senior NCOs, (i.e. Chief Petty Officer and Flight Sergeant).[1] As Army WO2s hold a Warrant, while the RAN CPO and RAAF FSGT do not, WO2s are addressed as "Sir" or "Ma'am" by junior ranks, which extends to OCDTs and SCDTs.[citation needed]
Non-Commissioned Officer ranks
editOther ranks
editInsignia
editCommissioned officer ranks
editThe rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Royal Australian Navy[8] |
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| Admiral of the fleet | Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Commodore | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Sub lieutenant | Acting sub lieutenant | ||||||||||||||
 Australian Army[9] |
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| Field marshal | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | ||||||||||||||
 Royal Australian Air Force[10] |
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| Marshal of the RAAF | Air chief marshal | Air marshal | Air vice-marshal | Air commodore | Group captain | Wing commander | Squadron leader | Flight lieutenant | Flying officer | Pilot officer | ||||||||||||||
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
Student officer ranks
edit| Rank group | Student officer | |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Australian Navy[10][11] |
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| Midshipman | ||
| Australian Army |
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| Officer cadet | Staff cadet | |
| Royal Australian Air Force[10] |
)_OFFCDT_rank_ins.svg){kind=icon} | |
| Officer cadet | ||
Other ranks
editThe rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Australian Navy[10] |
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| Warrant officer | Chief petty officer | Petty officer | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Seaman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Army[10] |
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No insignia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 2 | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal | Private (or equivalent) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Royal Australian Air Force[12][10] |
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_FSGT_rank_ins.svg){kind=icon} |
_SGT_rank_ins.svg){kind=icon} |
_CPL_rank_ins.svg){kind=icon} |
_LAC_rank_ins.svg){kind=icon} |
_AC_rank_ins.svg){kind=icon} | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant officer | Flight sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Leading aircraftman/ aircraftwoman |
Aircraftman/ aircraftwoman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appointments
edit
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_WOFF-AF_rank_ins.svg){kind=icon}
History of Royal Australian Navy ranks
editThe historical changes to rank insignia for enlisted personnel of the navy.[13]
| Rank group | General/flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Australian Navy (1995–2025)[10] |
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| Admiral of the fleet | Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Commodore | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Sub lieutenant | Acting sub lieutenant | ||||||||||||||
History of Australian Army ranks
edit| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Army (1953–2025)[10] | 
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| Field marshal | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | ||||||||||||||
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Army (–2019) |
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No insignia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Regimental sergeant major of the army | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 2 | Staff sergeant[g] | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal | Private (or equivalent) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Army (2019–2025) |
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No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Regimental sergeant major of the army | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 2 | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal | Private (or equivalent) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also
editNotes
edit- ↑ 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 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.
- ↑ Chaplains:
- In the Royal Australian Air Force and Australian Army, Chaplains wear normal rank insignia.
- O5 ranks - In the Royal Australian Navy, Chaplains and MSWOs are commissioned officers without rank. For reasons of protocol, ceremonial occasions and for saluting purposes, they are, where appropriate, normally grouped with Commanders (O-5).[4]
- O6-O7 ranks - The more senior Division 4 Senior Chaplains are grouped with Captains (O-6) and Division 5 Principal Chaplains are grouped with Commodores (O-7).
- O8 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, air vice marshall, or rear admiral (O-8).[5]
- ↑ Without prejudice to existing holders of the rank, the Army has ceased to promote soldiers to the rank of staff sergeant.[7]
- ↑ Private proficient is not an ADF rank. It is a proficiency point for which a higher rate of salary is provided.
- ↑ Staff sergeants still exist, but no one is promoted into the role.
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 "ADF Pay and Conditions Manual (PACMAN)". People Strategies and Policy (AL13 ed.). Department of Defence, Australian Government. November 2009. p. 1.
- ↑ Defence Force Regulations 1952.
- ↑ Badges of Rank and Special Insignia. Commonwealth of Australia - Department of Defence. September 2003. pp. 2–3.
- ↑ "Ranks - Royal Australian Navy". navy.gov.au. Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
... Chaplains and MSWOs are commissioned officers without rank. However, for ceremonial and protocol purposes they are, where appropriate, normally grouped with Commanders (O-5). ...
- ↑ "Inquiry into Recruitment and Retention of ADF Personnel". aph.gov.au. Australian Parliament House. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
... RACS members have two-star status in Defence. ...
- ↑ "New Role Gives Personnel Direct Line to Chief". Royal Australian Defence Organisation. 3 July 2023. Archived from the original on 30 November 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
- ↑ "Australian Army Rank Structure, Other Ranks". army.gov.au. Australian Army. 25 October 2019. Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
- ↑ "Ranks". Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 2025-08-04.
- ↑ "Ranks". Australian Army. Retrieved 2025-08-04.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Badges of rank" (PDF). defence.gov.au. Department of Defence (Australia). Retrieved 31 May 2021.
- 1 2 "Ranks | Air Force". airforce.gov.au. Royal Australian Air Force. Archived from the original on 25 Oct 2023. Retrieved 10 Nov 2023.
- ↑ "A History of Australian Navy Health Sailor Uniforms and Ranks (Part 3)". Retrieved 23 February 2021.