- Commander Australian Fleet
-
Commander Australian Fleet Active 1913–present Country 
AustraliaAllegiance Australian Defence Force Branch 
Royal Australian NavyGarrison/HQ Fleet Headquarters, Potts Point Commanders Current
commanderRear Admiral Steve Gilmore Commander Australian Fleet (COMAUSFLT), also referred to as Fleet Commander Australia (FCAUST), is a senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), holding full command of all Navy combat forces and responsibility for all maritime operations within the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The rank associated with the position is rear admiral (two-star).
The position is currently occupied by Rear Admiral Steve Gilmore.
The title first came into use in 2007. Previous titles for the position since 1913 have been:
- Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Fleet (1913–1926),
- Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Squadron (1926–1949),
- Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet (1949–1988, regularly abbreviated as FOCAF), and
- Maritime Commander Australia (1988–2007 - MCAUST).(I)
Contents
History
Prior to 1913, all naval activities and forces in Australian waters were controlled by the British Royal Navy. In 1859, Australia Station was established as a separate command of the Royal Navy, responsible for all the waters around the Australian continent, in addition to the British and Australian colonial possessions in the South Pacific. It was at this stage that the forerunner of Commander Australian Fleet, Officer Commanding Imperial Squadron Australian Station, was created. Between the Federation of Australia and formation of the Commonwealth Naval Forces in 1901 to the year of 1913, the Royal Navy began a process of transferring all command responsibility in Australian waters over to the Australian Government, as well as replacing equipment and personnel with Australian variants. The Commonwealth Naval Forces were renamed to Royal Australian Navy in 1911. With the transfer complete in 1913, the position of Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Fleet was formed, with control over all naval combat operations and forces; the post was renamed Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Squadron in 1926. Despite this position being a command of the RAN, the majority of occupants were Royal Navy officers attached to, or on loan to, the RAN.[1][2]
In 1949, Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Squadron was redesignated Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet. This was followed by a renaming to Maritime Commander Australia in 1988, and more recently to Commander Australian Fleet in 2007.[1][3] Throughout its existence, the command has administered Australian naval forces as they have been deployed for duty in the First World War, Second World War, Malayan Emergency, Korean War, Indonesian Confrontation, Vietnam War, Gulf War, War in Afghanistan and Iraq War, in addition to peacekeeping operations. The rank associated with this position today is rear admiral, however some of the earlier appointees held a different rank.[1][2]
During the East Timor operations of 1999–2000, the then Maritime Commander Australia held the Task force designator Commander Task Force 627, which is probably still in use.[4]
Role and responsibilities
The role and responsibilities of the Commander Australian Fleet is principally to "plan, prepare for, and conduct maritime operations for the protection and promotion of Australia's security and interests". With this directive, the operations carried out or planned by the Commander Australian Fleet or his staff fall into three distinct categories: defence of sovereign territory, protection of overseas trade and offshore resources, and contingencies.[5]
The Commander Australian Fleet holds full command responsibility over RAN combat forces, and is responsible to the Chief of Navy—the administrative head of the RAN—for the execution of maritime tasks and training in regards to combat roles and operations. The Commander Australian Fleet additionally holds the role of Maritime Component Commander within Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC), responsible to the Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS) as the head of naval activities within operational theatres.[5][6]
Previous commanders
The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Commander Australian Fleet or its preceding positions. However, the position of Officers Commanding Imperial Squadron Australian Station (1859–1913) is not included in this list as it was administered as a command of the Royal Navy, and existed before the formation of the Royal Australian Navy. The official title of the commander at that period of time is listed immediately before the officers who held that role. The rank and honours are as at the completion of the commander's term.[1][7][8]
Rank Name Post-
NominalsService Term began Term ended Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Fleet Vice Admiral Sir George Patey KCMG, KCVO RN 23 June 1913 22 September 1916 Rear Admiral Sir William Pakenham KCB, MVO RN 23 September 1916 9 January 1917 Rear Admiral Arthur Leveson CB RN 9 January 1917 3 September 1918 Rear Admiral Sir Lionel Halsey KCMG, CB RN 4 September 1918 21 March 1919 Rear Admiral John Dumaresq CB, CVO RN 22 March 1919 29 April 1922 Rear Admiral Albert Addison CMG RN 30 April 1922 30 April 1924 Commodore Thomas Wardle DSO RN 30 April 1924 30 April 1926 Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Squadron Rear Admiral George Hyde CVO, CBE RAN 30 April 1926 17 May 1929 Rear Admiral Edward Evans CB, DSO RN 17 May 1929 29 May 1931 Commodore Leonard Holbrook MVO RN 29 May 1931 7 April 1932 Rear Admiral Robin Dalglish CB RN 7 April 1932 19 April 1934 Rear Admiral Wilbraham Ford CB RN 19 April 1934 20 April 1936 Rear Admiral Richard Lane-Poole CB, OBE RN 20 April 1936 21 April 1938 Rear Admiral Wilfred Custance CB RN 22 April 1938 2 September 1939 Commodore Wilfrid Patterson CVO RN 2 September 1939 1 November 1939 Rear Admiral John Crace CB RN 1 November 1939 13 June 1942 Rear Admiral Victor Crutchley VC, DSC RN 13 June 1942 13 June 1944 Commodore John Collins CB RAN 13 June 1944 27 October 1944 Captain Charles Nichols MVO RN 27 October 1944 9 December 1944 Commodore Harold Farncomb CB, DSO, MVO RAN 9 December 1944 22 July 1945 Commodore John Collins CB RAN 22 July 1945 9 November 1946 Rear Admiral Harold Farncomb CB, DSO, MVO RAN 9 November 1946 5 October 1949 Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet (FOCAF) Rear Admiral John Eccles CB, CBE RN 5 October 1949 10 October 1951 Rear Admiral John Eaton CB, DSO, DSC RN 10 October 1951 17 December 1953 Rear Admiral Roy Dowling CBE, DSO RAN 17 December 1953 23 February 1955 Rear Admiral Henry Burrell CBE RAN 28 February 1955 7 June 1956 Rear Admiral David Harries CBE RAN 7 June 1956 7 January 1958 Rear Admiral Henry Burrell CB, CBE RAN 7 January 1958 20 January 1959 Rear Admiral Galfrey Gatacre DSO, DSC & Bar RAN 20 January 1959 22 December 1959 Rear Admiral Hastings Harrington CB, CBE, DSO RAN 22 December 1959 8 January 1962 Rear Admiral Alan McNicoll CBE, GM RAN 8 January 1962 6 January 1964 Rear Admiral Otto Becher CBE, DSO, DSC & Bar RAN 6 January 1964 10 January 1965 Rear Admiral Thomas Morrison CBE, DSC RAN 10 January 1965 29 January 1966 Rear Admiral Victor Smith CBE, DSC RAN 29 January 1966 20 January 1967 Rear Admiral Richard Peek OBE, DSC RAN 20 January 1967 18 March 1968 Rear Admiral Gordon Crabb CBE, DSC RAN 18 March 1968 6 January 1970 Rear Admiral David Stevenson CBE RAN 6 January 1970 14 April 1971 Rear Admiral William Dovers CBE, DSC RAN 14 April 1971 24 January 1972 Rear Admiral David Stevenson CBE RAN 24 January 1972 1 April 1972 Rear Admiral William Dovers CBE, DSC RAN 1 April 1972 23 January 1973 Rear Admiral Anthony Synnot CBE RAN 23 January 1973 4 February 1974 Rear Admiral David Wells CBE RAN 4 February 1974 17 November 1975 Rear Admiral Geoffrey Gladstone AO, DSC & Bar RAN 17 November 1975 16 April 1977 Rear Admiral Neil McDonald AO RAN 16 April 1977 8 May 1978 Rear Admiral James Willis AO RAN 8 May 1978 12 April 1979 Rear Admiral David Leach CBE, LVO RAN 12 April 1979 16 May 1980 Rear Admiral Peter Doyle AO, OBE RAN 16 May 1980 1 June 1981 Rear Admiral John Stevens RAN 1 June 1981 16 March 1982 Rear Admiral Michael Hudson RAN 15 March 1982 21 October 1983 Rear Admiral Geoffrey Woolrych AO RAN 21 October 1983 3 May 1985 Rear Admiral Ian Knox AO RAN 3 May 1985 6 January 1987 Rear Admiral Peter Sinclair AO RAN 6 January 1987 2 September 1988 Maritime Commander Australia (MCAUST) Rear Admiral Peter Sinclair AO RAN 2 September 1988 6 January 1989 Rear Admiral Ian MacDougall RAN 6 January 1989 9 July 1990 Rear Admiral Ken Doolan AO RAN 9 July 1990 7 November 1991 Rear Admiral Robert Walls AO RAN 7 November 1991 9 December 1993 Rear Admiral Donald Chalmers AO RAN 7 December 1993 13 April 1995 Rear Admiral Chris Oxenbould AO RAN 14 April 1995 11 February 1997 Rear Admiral Chris Ritchie AM RAN 11 February 1997 17 May 1999 Rear Admiral John Lord AM RAN 18 May 1999 12 July 2000 Rear Admiral Geoffrey Smith AM RAN 12 July 2000 20 July 2002 Rear Admiral Raydon Gates CSM RAN 20 July 2002 28 June 2004 Rear Admiral Rowan Moffitt AM RAN 28 June 2004 4 July 2005 Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas AM, CSC RAN 4 July 2005 1 February 2007 Commander Australian Fleet (COMAUSFLT) Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas AM, CSC RAN 1 February 2007 July 2007 Rear Admiral Nigel Coates AM RAN July 2007 8 October 2009 Rear Admiral Steve Gilmore AM, CSC RAN 8 October 2009 Incumbent Footnotes
^(I) "HM" (His/Her Majesty's) is not always included when referring to these titles.
References
- ^ a b c d Gilbert, Gregory P. (2006) (PDF). Australian Naval Personalities: Lives From the Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra, Australia: Sea Power Centre. ISBN 0 642 296367. http://www.navy.gov.au/w/images/PIAMA17.pdf. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
- ^ a b "The RAN — A Brief History". History. Royal Australian Navy. http://www.navy.gov.au/The_R.A.N._-_A_Brief_History. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
- ^ "Top Stories — Fleet Command now launched". Navy News. Royal Australian Navy. http://www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS/editions/5001/topstories/briefs.htm. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
- ^ David Stevens, STRENGTH THROUGH DIVERSITY: THE COMBINED NAVAL ROLE IN OPERATION STABILISE, Sea Power Centre - Australia Working Paper No. 20
- ^ a b "Fleet Headquarters". Royal Australian Navy. http://www.navy.gov.au/Fleet_Headquarters. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
- ^ "Headquarters Joint Operations Command Project — Purpose". Headquarters Joint Operations Command Project. Department of Defence. http://www.defence.gov.au/id/hqjoc/purpose.htm. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
- ^ "Rear Admiral Nigel Coates". Royal Australian Navy. http://www.navy.gov.au/Rear_Admiral_Nigel_Coates. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
- ^ "Rear Admiral Steve Gilmore". Defence Leaders: Navy. Department of Defence. http://www.defence.gov.au/leaders/navy/steveGilmore/index.htm. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
Leadership of the Australian Defence Force Vice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF) • Chief, Capability Development Group (CCDG) • Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS)Commander Australian Fleet (COMAUSFLT) • Commander Forces Command (CFC) • Air Commander Australia (ACAUST)Leadership of the Royal Australian Navy Categories:- Commands of the Australian Defence Force
- Royal Australian Navy
- Royal Australian Navy admirals
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