Australian Defence Force ranks

The Australian Defence Force's (ADF) ranks of officers and enlisted personnel in each of its three service branches of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the Australian Army, and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) 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 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

NATO Code	Aus/US Code	Navy	Army	RAAF
Flag/General/Air Officers[1][3]
OF-10	O-11[lower-alpha 1]	Admiral of the fleet	Field marshal	Marshal of the RAAF
OF-9	O-10[lower-alpha 2]	Admiral	General	Air chief marshal
OF-8	O-9[lower-alpha 3]	Vice admiral	Lieutenant general	Air marshal
OF-7	O-8	Rear admiral	Major general	Air vice marshal
OF-6	O-7[lower-alpha 4]	—	—	Air commodore
Senior officers
OF-6	O-7^[d]	Commodore	Brigadier	—
OF-5	O-6^[d]	Captain (RAN)	Colonel	Group captain
OF-4	O-5^[d]	Commander	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
—	S-1	Midshipman	—	—
Cadets
—	—	—	Officer cadet	Officer cadet

Warrant officer ranks

NATO Code	Aus/US Code	Navy	Army	RAAF
Warrant officers
OR-9	E-9	Warrant officer	Warrant officer	Warrant officer
			Warrant officer class 1
OR-8	E-8	—	Warrant officer class 2	—

Note that the most senior warrant officer in each of the three services is appointed 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. These are appointments, not ranks; these three people hold the rank of Warrant Officer in their respective services. However, they each wear special insignia, different from the rank insignia worn by other warrant officers. Although the RAN and the RAAF have the one warrant officer rank, 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 same pay grade as the RAN and the RAAF's most senior NCOs, (i.e. chief petty officer and flight sergeant).[1]

Non-commissioned officer ranks

NATO Code	Aus/US Code	Navy	Army	RAAF
Senior non-commissioned officers
OR-8	E-8	Chief petty officer	—	Flight sergeant
OR-7	E-7	—	Staff sergeant[1][lower-alpha 5]	—
OR-6	E-6	Petty officer	Sergeant	Sergeant
Junior non-commissioner officers
OR-5	E-5	Leading seaman	Corporal/bombardier	Corporal
OR-4	E-4	—	Lance Corporal/Bombardier	—

Other ranks

For ranks used by some corps in place of private, see Australian Army enlisted rank insignia.

NATO Code	Aus/US Code	Navy	Army	RAAF
Enlisted
OR-3	E-3	Able seaman	Private (Proficient)	Leading aircraftman/woman
OR-2	E-2	Seaman	Private	Aircraftman/woman

Insignia

Commissioned officers

The rank insignia for commissioned officers for the army, navy and air force respectively.

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Australia (Edit)
	Field marshal		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant			Officer cadet						Staff cadet
Australia (Edit)
	Admiral of the fleet		Admiral		Vice admiral		Rear admiral		Commodore		Captain		Commander		Lieutenant commander		Lieutenant		Sub lieutenant			Acting sub lieutenant			Midshipman
Australia (Edit)
	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			Officer cadet
Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer

Enlisted

The rank insignia for enlisted personnel for the army, navy and air force respectively.

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Australia (Edit)																	No equivalent												No insignia
	Regimental sergeant major of the army			Warrant officer class 1			Warrant officer class 2		Staff sergeant (to be phased out)		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance corporal		Private (or equivalent)
Australia (Edit)									No equivalent								No equivalent										No equivalent
	Warrant Officer of the Navy			Warrant Officer			Chief Petty Officer				Petty Officer												Leading Seaman						Able Seaman						Seaman
Australia (Edit)									No equivalent								No equivalent										No equivalent
	Warrant Officer of the Air Force			Warrant Officer			Flight Sergeant				Sergeant												Corporal						Leading Aircraftman						Aircraftman
Equivalent NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1

See also

• Royal Australian Navy ranks and uniforms
• Australian Army officer rank insignia
• Australian Army enlisted rank insignia
• Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) rank insignia

Notes

1. O-11 ranks - admiral of the fleet, field marshal and marshal of the RAAF - may only be used in wartime and for honorary appointments.
2. O-10 ranks - The Chief of the Defence Force is the sole O-10 ranked appointment.
3. 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.
4. 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).
5. Without prejudice to existing holders of the rank, the Army has ceased to promote soldiers to the rank of staff sergeant.[4]

References

1. "ADF Pay and Conditions Manual (PACMAN)". People Strategies and Policy (AL13 ed.). Department of Defence, Australian Government. November 2009. p. 1.
2. Defence Force Regulations 1952.
3. Badges of Rank and Special Insignia. Commonwealth of Australia - Department of Defence. September 2003. pp. 2–3.
4. "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.

External links

• ADF Badges of rank (copyright)
• ADF Pay & Conditions Manual - Equivalent ranks and classifications