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:

• Royal Australian Navy (RAN)
• Australian Army
• Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)

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

1. ^ ^{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)
2. ^ Defence Force Regulations 1952.
3. ^ O-11 ranks - Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal and Marshal of the RAAF - may only be used in wartime and for honorary appointments.
4. ^ O-10 ranks - The Chief of the Defence Force (currently ACM Angus Houston) is the sole O-10 ranked appointment.
5. ^ 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.
6. ^ ^{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).
7. ^ Without prejudice to existing holders of the rank, the Army has ceased to promote soldiers to the rank of Staff Sergeant.^{[citation needed]}
8. ^ "Private Proficient" (PTE(P)) is not a separate formal ADF rank and does not 'outrank' Private; it is a salary proficiency point (pay grade) 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.
   The same holds with Seaman being re-classified as Able Seaman, and Aircraftman/woman being re-classified Leading Aircraftman/woman after 12 months; the requirements are the same for all three services. Thus, Able Seaman and Leading Aircraftman/woman do not outrank Private, Seaman or Aircraftman/woman.
   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

External links

• ADF Badges of rank (copyright)