TheAustralian Defence Force (ADF) utilisesranks for theofficers andnon-commissioned personnel of its three service branches: theRoyal Australian Navy (RAN), theAustralian Army, and theRoyal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Each of the branches largely inherited the rank structure and rank insignia from their counterparts in theBritish 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 theDefence Force Regulations 1952.[2]
| 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) | - |
| NATO code | Aus/ code | Navy | Army | RAAF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warrant officers | ||||
| OR-10 | E-10 | 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 eitherWarrant Officer of the Navy WO-N,Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army RSM-A, orWarrant 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. 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.
| NATO code | Aus code | Navy | Army | RAAF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior non-commissioned officers | ||||
| OR-8 | E-8 | Chief Petty Officer | — | Flight Sergeant |
| OR-7 | E-7 | — | Staff Sergeant[1][e] | — |
| OR-6 | E-6 | Petty Officer | Sergeant | Sergeant |
| Junior non-commissioned officers | ||||
| OR-5 | E-5 | Leading Seaman | Corporal/Bombardier | Corporal |
| OR-4 | E-4 | — | Lance Corporal/Bombardier | — |
| NATO Code | Aus Code | Navy | Army | RAAF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enlisted | ||||
| OR-3 | E-3 | Able Seaman | Private proficient[f] | Leading Aircraftman/Leading Aircraftwoman |
| OR-2 | E-2 | Seaman | Private | Aircraftman/Aircraftwoman |
The rank insignia ofcommissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Royal Australian Navy[7] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | | ||||||||
| Admiral of the fleet | Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Commodore | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Sub lieutenant | Acting sub lieutenant | ||||||||||||||
 Australian Army[8] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
| Field marshal | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | ||||||||||||||
 Royal Australian Air Force[9] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
| 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank group | Student officer | |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Australian Navy[9][10] | .svg) | |
| Midshipman | ||
| Australian Army |  |  |
| Officer cadet | Staff cadet | |
| Royal Australian Air Force[9] | )_OFFCDT_rank_ins.svg){kind=icon} | |
| Officer cadet | ||
The rank insignia ofnon-commissioned officers andenlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Australian Navy[9] |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant officer | Chief petty officer | Petty officer | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Seaman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australian Army[9] | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | No insignia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 2 | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal | Private (or equivalent) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Royal Australian Air Force[11][9] | _WOFF_rank_ins_01.svg){kind=icon} | _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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The historical changes to rank insignia for enlisted personnel of the navy.[12]
| Rank group | General/flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Australian Navy (1995–2025)[9] | | | | | | | | | | | | |||||||||||||
| Admiral of the fleet | Admiral | Vice admiral | Rear admiral | Commodore | Captain | Commander | Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant | Sub lieutenant | Acting sub lieutenant | ||||||||||||||
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Army (1953–2025)[9] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
| 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) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 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) | | | | | | | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Regimental sergeant major of the army | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 2 | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal | Private (or equivalent) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
... Chaplains and MSWOs are commissioned officers without rank. However, for ceremonial and protocol purposes they are, where appropriate, normally grouped with Commanders (O-5). ...
... RACS members have two-star status in Defence. ...
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_WOFF-AF_rank_ins.svg){kind=icon}
