| Australian Army | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1 March 1901 |
| Country |  Australia |
| Branch | Army |
| Role | Land warfare |
| Size | 28,524 (Regular) 15,711 (Active Reserve)[1] |
| Part of | Australian Defence Force |
| March | "The Army March" |
| Engagements | |
| Website | www |
| Commanders | |
| Chief of the Defence Force | AdmiralDavid Johnston |
| Chief of Army | Lieutenant GeneralSimon Stuart |
| Deputy Chief of Army | Major GeneralChris Smith |
| Commander Forces Command | Major GeneralSusan Coyle |
| Insignia | |
| Australian flag |  |
| Insignia (aviation) |  |
| Insignia (armoured vehicles) |  |
TheAustralian Army is the principalland warfare force ofAustralia. It is a part of theAustralian Defence Force (ADF), along with theRoyal Australian Navy and theRoyal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by theChief of Army (CA), who is subordinate to theChief of the Defence Force (CDF) who commands the ADF.[3] TheDepartment of Defence supports the ADF and the Army.
The Australian Army was formed in 1901 as the Commonwealth Military Forces, through the amalgamation of thecolonial forces of Australia following theFederation of Australia. Although Australian soldiers have been involved in a number of minor and major conflicts throughout Australia's history, only during theSecond World War has Australian territory come under direct attack.
The Australian Army was initially composed almost completely of part-time soldiers, where the vast majority were in units of theCitizens Military Force (CMF or Militia) (1901–1980) during peacetime, with limits set on the regular Army. Since all reservists were barred from forcibly serving overseas, volunteer expeditionary forces (1st AIF,ANMEF,2nd AIF) were formed to enable the Army to send large numbers of soldiers to serve overseas during periods of war.[4][5] This period lasted from federation until post-1947, when a standing peacetime regular army was formed and theAustralian Army Reserve (1980–present) began to decline in importance.[6][5]
During its history, the Australian Army has fought in a number of major wars, including theSecond Boer War, theFirst andSecond World Wars,Korean War,Malayan Emergency,Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation,Vietnam War,[7] theWar in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and theIraq War.[8] Since 1947, the Australian Army has also been involved in many peacekeeping operations, usually under the auspices of theUnited Nations. Today, it participates in multilateral and unilateral military exercises and provides emergency disaster relief and humanitarian aid in response to domestic and international crises.
Formed in March 1901, following federation, the Australian Army initially consisted of the six, disbanded and separate, colonial military forces' land components. Due to the Army being continuation of the colonial armies, it became immediately embroiled in conflict as contingents had been committed to fight for theUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in theSecond Boer War. The Army gained command of these contingents and even supplied federal units to reinforce their commitment at the request of the British government.[9][10]
TheDefence Act 1903, established the operation and command structure of the Australian Army.[11] In 1911, theUniversal Service Scheme was implemented, introducingconscription for the first time in Australia, with males aged 14–26 assigned into cadet and CMF units; though the scheme did not prescribe or allow overseas service outside thestates and territories of Australia. This restriction would be primarily, and continually, bypassed through the process of raising separate volunteer forces until the mid-20th century; this solution was not without its drawbacks, as it caused logistical dilemmas.[12]
After the declaration of war on theCentral Powers, the Australian Army raised the all volunteer First Australian Imperial Force (AIF) which had an initial recruitment of 52,561 out of a promised 20,000 men. A smaller expeditionary force, theAustralian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force (ANMEF), dealt with the issue of the German Pacific holdings. ANMEF recruitment began on 10 August 1914, and operations started 10 days later.[13] On 11 September, the ANMEF landed atRabaul to secureGerman New Guinea, with no German outposts in the Pacific left by November 1914.[14] During the AIF's preparations to depart Australia, theOttoman Empire joined the Central Powers; thereby receiving declarations of war from theAllies of World War I in early November 1914.[15]
After initial recruitment and training, the AIF departed for Egypt where they underwent further preparations, and where theAustralian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was formed. Their presence in Egypt was due to the plannedGallipoli campaign, an invasion of the Ottoman Empire viaGallipoli. On 25 April, the AIF landed atANZAC Cove, which signaled the start of Australia's contribution to the campaign. Following little initial success, fighting quickly devolved into trench warfare, which precipitated a stalemate. On 15 December 1915, after eight months of fighting, the evacuation of Gallipoli commenced; it was completed 5 days later with no casualties recorded.[16] After regrouping in Egypt, the AIF was split into two groups and further expanded with reinforcements. This division would see a majority of theAustralian Light Horse fight the Ottomans inArabia and theLevant, whereasthe rest of the AIF would go to theWestern Front.[17]
The AIF arrived inFrance with the1st,2nd,4th and5th Divisions; which comprised, in part,I ANZAC Corps and, in full,II ANZAC Corps. The3rd Division would not arrive until November 1916, as it underwent training inEngland after its transfer from Australia. In July 1916, the AIF commenced operations with theBattle of the Somme, and more specifically with theAttack at Fromelles. Soon after, the 1st, 2nd and 4th Divisions became tied down in actions at theBattle of Pozières andMouquet Farm. In around six weeks, the operations caused 28,000 Australian casualties.[18] Due to these losses and pressure from the United Kingdom to maintain the AIF's manpower,Prime MinisterBilly Hughes introduced thefirst conscription plebiscite. It was defeated by a narrow margin and created a bitter divide on the issue of conscription throughout the 20th century.[19][20]
Following the German withdrawal to theHindenburg Line in March 1917, which was better defended and eased manpower restraints, the first Australian assault on the Hindenburg Line occurred on 11 April 1917 with theFirst Battle of Bullecourt.[21][22][23] On 20 September, the Australian contingent joined theThird Battle of Ypres with theBattle of Menin Road, and continued on to fight in theBattle of Polygon Wood, which lasted until 3 October; in total, these tow operations cost roughly 11,000 in Australian casualties. Until 15 November 1917, multiple attacks at theBattle of Broodseinde Ridge and theBattle of Passchendaele occurred, but, failed to take their objectives following the start of the rain and subsequent muddying of the fields.[24]
On 21 March 1918, the Germans attempted a breakout through theMichael Offensive, which was part of the much largerGerman spring offensive; the AIF suffered 15,000 casualties due to this effort. During this operation, Australian troops conducted a series of local defences and offensives tohold andretake Villers–Brettoneux over the period 4 to 25 April 1918. After the cessation of offensives by theGerman Army, theAustralian Corps began participating in "Peaceful penetration" operations, which were localised raids designed to harass and gain small tracts of territory; these proved so effective that several major operational objectives were captured.[25]
On 4 July 1918, theBattle of Hamel saw the first successful use of tanks alongside Australians, with the battleplan ofJohn Monash completed three minutes over the planned 90 minute operation. Following this success, theBattle of Amiens was launched on 8 August 1918, in conjunction with theCanadian Corps and the BritishIII Corps, and concluded on 12 August 1918; GeneralErich Ludendorff described it as "the black day of the German Army". On 29 August 1918, following territorial advances and pursuits, the AIF attacked Pèronne and subsequently initiated theBattle of Mont St Quentin. Anotheroperation around Épehy was planned for 18 September 1918, which aimed to retake the British trenches and, potentially, capture their most ambitious objective of the Hindenburg's outpost line – which they achieved.[25][26][27]
Following news of a three-month furlough for certain soldiers, seven AIF battalions were disbanded; consequently, members of these battalions mutinied. Soon after the penetration of the Hindenburg Line, plans for the breakthrough of the main trench, with the Australian Corps as the vanguard, were completed. However, due to manpower issues, only the 3rd and 5th Divisions participated, with theAmerican Expeditionary Forces'27th and30th Divisions given as reinforcements. On 29 September, following a three day long bombardment, theBattle of the Hindenburg Line commenced, wherein the corps attacked and captured more of the line. On 5 October 1918, after furious fighting, the Australian Corps was withdrawn from the front, as the entire corps had been operating continuously since 8 August 1918. They would not return to the battlefield, as Germany signed theArmistice of 11 November 1918 that ultimately ended the war on the Western Front.[14][27][28]
The Australian mounted units, composed of theANZAC Mounted Division and eventually theAustralian Mounted Division, participated in theSinai and Palestine campaign. They were originally stationed there to protect theSuez Canal from the Turks, and following the threat of its capture passing, they started offensive operations and helped in the re-conquest of theSinai Desert. This was followed by the Battles of Gaza, wherein on the 31 October 1917 the4th and12th Light Horse tookBeersheba through the last charge of the Light Horse. They continued on to captureJerusalem on 10 December 1917 and then eventuallyDamascus on 1 October 1918 whereby, a few days later on 10 October 1918, the Ottoman Empire surrendered.[14][17]
Repatriation efforts were implemented between the armistice and the end of 1919, which occurred after the disbandment of the Australian Imperial Force.[29] In 1921, CMF units were renumbered to that of the AIF, to perpetuate the honours and numerical identities of the units involved in WW1.[30] During this period there was a complacency towards matters of defence, due to the devastating effects of the previous war on the Australian psyche.[31] Following the election of Prime MinisterJames Scullin in 1929, two events occurred that substantially affected the armed forces: conscription was abolished and the economic effects of theGreat Depression started to be felt in Australia. Theeconomic ramifications of the depression led to decisions that decreased defence expenditure and manpower for the army. Since conscription was repealed, to reflect the new volunteer nature of theCitizens Forces, the CMF was renamed to the Militia.[32][33]
Following the declaration of war onNazi Germany and her allies by theUnited Kingdom, and the subsequent confirmation by Prime MinisterRobert Menzies on 3 September 1939,[34] the Australian Army raised the Second Australian Imperial Force, a 20,000-strong volunteer expeditionary force, which initially consisted of the6th Division; later increased to include the7th and9th Divisions, alongside the8th Division which was sent toSingapore.[35][17] In October 1939, compulsory military training recommenced for unmarried men aged 21, who had to complete three months of training.[20]
The 2nd AIF commenced its first operations in North Africa withOperation Compass, that began with theBattle of Bardia.[17][36] This was followed by supplying Australian units to defend against the Axis in theBattle of Greece.[37] After the evacuation of Greece, Australian troops took part in theBattle of Crete which, though more successful, still failed and another withdrawal was ordered.[38] During the Greek Campaign, the Allies were pushed back to Egypt and theSiege of Tobruk began. Tobruk's primary defence personnel were Australians of the 9th Division; the so-called 'Rats of Tobruk'.[39] Additionally, the AIF participated in theSyria–Lebanon campaign.[17] The 9th Division fought in theFirst andSecond Battle of El Alamein before also being shipped home to fight the Japanese.[40]
In December 1941, following theBombing of Pearl Harbor, Australia declared war onJapan. Consequently, the AIF was requested to return home, as the subsequent rapidconquest ofSoutheast Asia extremely concerned Australian policymakers, and the militia was mobilised. After theFall of Singapore, and the consequent capture of the entire 8th Division asPOWs, this concern only grew. These events hastened the relief of the Rats of Tobruk, while the other divisions were immediately recalled to reinforce New Guinea.[34] General conscription was reintroduced, though service was again limited to Australian possessions, which caused tension between the AIF and Militia. This was in addition to the CMF's perceived inferior fighting ability, with these grievances earning the Militia their nicknames of "koalas"[a] and "chocos"[b] or "chocolate soldiers".[20][41][42][43][44]
TheImperial Japanese Navy's failure in theBattle of the Coral Sea, was the impetus for theImperial Japanese Army to try to capturePort Moresby via theOwen Stanley Range.[45] On 21 July 1942, the Japanese began theKokoda Campaign after landing at Gona; attempts to defeat them by Australian battalions were met with eventual success. Resultant offensive operations concluded with the Japanese being driven out of New Guinea entirely.[46] In parallel with these defences, theBattle of Milne Bay was waged, and when the Japanese were repulsed, it was considered their first significant reversal for the war.[47] In November 1942, the campaign ended after the Japanese withdrawal, with Australian advances leading to theBattle of Buna–Gona.[46][48]
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In early 1943, theSalamaua–Lae campaign began, with operations against the entrenched Japanese aimed towards recapturing the eponymous towns.[49] This culminated in the capture of Lae, held by the 7th Division in early September 1943, from a successful combined amphibiouslanding at Lae and an airbornelanding at Nadzab. The seaborne assault was notable as it was the first large–scale amphibious operation since Gallipoli. Subsequently, Salamaua was taken days later on 11 September 1943, by a separate joint Australia–US attack.[50][51] The Battle of Lae was additionally part of the widerHuon Peninsula campaign. Following Lae's capture, theBattle of Finschhafen commenced with a relatively swift control of objectives, with subsequent Japanese counterattacks beaten off. On 17 November 1943, a major offensive that began with theBattle of Sattelberg, continued with theBattle of Wareo, and concluded with theBattle of Sio on 15 January 1944, was unleashed. The momentum of this advance was continued by the8th Brigade, as they pursued the enemy in retreat, which culminated with theBattle of Madang.[51][52]
In mid-1944, Australian forces took over the garrisoning ofTorokina from the US with this changeover giving Australian command responsibility over theBougainville campaign. Soon after arriving in November of the same year, the commander ofII Corps, Lieutenant-GeneralStanley Savige, began an offensive to retake the island with the 3rd Division alongside the11th and23rd Brigades. The campaign lasted until theJapanese surrender, with controversy surrounding its little apparent significance to the war's conclusion, and the number of casualties incurred; this was one of Australia's most costliest campaigns in the Second World War.[53]
In October 1944, Australian participation in theAitape–Wewak campaign began with the replacement of US forces atAitape with the Australian 6th Division. US forces had previously captured the position, and had held it passively, though Australian command found this unsuitable. On 2 November 1944, the2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment was tasked with patrolling the area, wherein minor engagements were reported. In early December, the commandos were sent inland to establish access to theTorricelli Range, while the19th Brigade handled patrolling, consequently, the amount of fierce fighting and territory secured increased. Following this success, thought was given for the capture ofMaprik andWewak, though supply became a major issue in this period. On 10 February 1945, the campaign's major offensive was underway, which resulted in both falling in quick succession on 22 April 1945. Smaller operations to secure the area continued, and all significant actions ceased by July.[54][55]
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TheBorneo campaign was a series of three distinct amphibious operations that were undertaken by the 7th and 9th Divisions. The campaign began with theBattle of Tarakan on 1 May 1945, followed six weeks later by theBattle of Labuan, and concluded with theBattle of Balikpapan. The purpose of capturingTarakan was to establish airfields, and the island was taken seven weeks following the initial amphibious landing. On 10 June 1945, the operation atLabuan commenced, and was tasked to secure resources and a naval base, and would continue until Japan's surrender. On 1 July 1945, theBalikpapan engagement commenced, with all its major objectives being acquired by war's end; this operation remains the largest amphibious operation undertaken by Australian forces, with 33,000 Australian servicemen participating. On 15 August 1945, Japan surrendered, ending the Second World War.[56][57][58]
After the surrender of Japan, Australia provided a contingent to theBritish Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) which included the34th Brigade. The units that composed the brigade would eventually become the nucleus of the regular army, with the battalions and brigade being renumbered to reflect this change. Following the start of theKorean War, the Australian Army committed troops to fight against the North Korean forces; the units came from the Australian contribution to BCOF. The3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) arrived inPusan on 28 September 1950. Australian troop numbers would increase and continue to be deployed up until the armistice, with 3RAR being eventually joined by the1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR).[59][60] For a brief period, between 1951 and 1959, theMenzies Government reinstituted conscription and compulsory military training with theNational Service Scheme, which required all males of eighteen years of age to serve for specified period in either the Australian Regular Army (ARA) or CMF.[43][61]
The Australian military entered theMalayan Emergency (1948–1960) in October 1955, committing the2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR) to fight alongside Commonwealth forces. The 2RAR fought against theMalayan National Liberation Army (MNLA), a communist led guerrilla army whose goal was to turn Malaya into a socialist republic, and whose leaders had previously been trained and funded by Britain to resist theJapanese occupation of Malaya. Australian military operations in Malaya consisted of patrolling actions and guarding infrastructure, though they rarely saw combat as the emergency was nearly over by the time of their deployment. All three original Royal Australian Regiment battalions would complete at least one tour before the end of operations. In August 1963, Australia ended deployments to Malaya, three years after the emergency's official end.[62]
In 1962, theBorneo Confrontation began, due to Indonesia's opposition to the formation ofMalaysia. It was an undeclared war that entailed a series of border conflicts between Indonesian-backed forces and British–Malaysian allies. Initial Australian support in the conflict began, and continued throughout, with the training and supply of Malaysian troops; Australian soldiers only saw combat during defensive operations. In January 1965, permission was granted for the deployment of 3RAR, with extensive operations conducted inSarawak from March until their withdrawal in July 1965. The subsequent deployment of4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR), in April 1966, was less intensive, with the battalion withdrawn in August. This is not to mention the efforts of several other corps and units in the conflict.[63][64]
The Australian Army commenced its involvement in theVietnam War by sending military advisors in 1962, which was then increased by sending in combat troops, specifically 1RAR, on 27 May 1965. Just before the official start of hostilities, the Australian Army was augmented with thereintroduction of conscription, which was based on a 'birthday ballot' selection process for all registered 20-year-old males. These men were required to register, unless they gave a legitimate reason for their exemption, else they faced penalties. This scheme would prove to be one of the most controversial implementations of conscription in Australia, with large protests against its adoption.[65][66][43][61]
In March 1966, the Australian Army increased its commitment again with the replacement of 1RAR with the1st Australian Task Force, a force in which all nine battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment would serve. One of the heaviest actions of the war occurred in August 1966, with theBattle of Long Tan, wherein D Company,6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) successfully fended off an enemy force, estimated at 2,000 men, for four hours. In 1968, Australian forces defended against theTet Offensive, aViet Cong military operation, and repulsed them with few casualties. The contribution of personnel to the war was gradually wound down, starting in late-1970 and ending in 1972; the official declaration of the end of Australia's involvement in the war was made on 11 January 1973.[65][66]
Following the Vietnam War, there was a significant hiatus of operational activity by the Australian Army. In late 1979, in the largest deployment of the decade, the Army committed 151 troops to the Commonwealth Monitoring Force, which monitored the transition ofRhodesia to universal suffrage. A decade later in 1989, Australia deployed 300 army engineer personnel as theAustralian contribution to the United Nations Transition Assistance Group inNamibia. The mission helped transition the country to independence from South African control.[67]
Following the invasion ofKuwait byIraq in August 1990, a coalition of countries sponsored by theUnited Nations Security Council, of which Australia was a part, gave a deadline for Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait of the 15 January 1991. Iraq refused to retreat and thus full conflict and theGulf War began two days later on 17 January 1991.[68] In January 1993, the Australian Army deployed 26 personnel on an ongoing rotational basis to theMultinational Force and Observers (MFO), as part of a non-United Nations peacekeeping organisation that observes and enforces the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt.[69]
Australia's largest peacekeeping deployment began in 1999 with theInternational Force for East Timor, while other ongoing operations include peacekeeping in the Sinai (as part of MFO), and theUnited Nations Truce Supervision Organization (as part ofOperation Paladin since 1956).[70] Humanitarian relief after the2004 Indian Ocean earthquake inAceh Province,Indonesia,Operation Sumatra Assist, ended on 24 March 2005.[71]
Following the11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, Australia promised troops to any military operations that the US commenced in response to the attacks. Subsequently, the Australian Army committed combat troops to Afghanistan inOperation Slipper. This combat role continued until the end of 2013 when it was replaced by a training contingent operating underOperation Highroad until 2021.[72][73]
After the Gulf War the UN imposed heavy restrictions on Iraq to stop them producing anyWeapon of mass destruction. In the early 21st century, the US accused Iraq of possessing these weapons, and requested that the UN invade the country in response, a motion which Australia supported. The UN denied this motion, however, it did not stop a coalition, that Australia joined, invading the country; thus starting theIraq War on 19 March 2003.[74]
Between April 2015 and June 2020, the Army deployed a 300-strong element to Iraq, designated as Task Group Taji, as part ofOperation Okra. In support of a capacity building mission, Task Group Taji's main role was to provide training to Iraqi forces, during which Australian troops have served alongside counterparts from New Zealand.[75][76]
In 2020 an investigation of allegations of war crimes committed during Australian military operations in Afghanistan was concluded with the release of theBrereton Report. The report identified 25 ADF personnel that were involved directly or indirectly in the murder of 39 civilians and prisoners, with 19 referred to theAustralian Federal Police to be criminally investigated. A 'warrior culture' in theSAS was specifically criticised with investigators 'frustrated by outright deceit by those who knew the truth and, not infrequently, misguided resistance to inquiries and investigations by their superiors'.[77]
Beginning 1 July 2023, the division was renamed the 1st Australian Division. The1st,3rd and7th Brigades were placed under the direct control of the division's headquarters. This reform aimed to improve the connections between the divisional headquarters and the brigades it commands during deployments.[78]
Forces Command controls for administrative purposes all non-combat assets of the Australian Army. Its focus is on unifying all training establishments to create a base for scaling and mobilisation:[78]
Additionally, Forces Command includes the following training and support establishments:
Administers the reserve forces from its headquarters located inSydney.
Army Aviation Command is responsible for the Australian Army's helicopters and training, aviation safety andunmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Army Aviation Command comprises:[82]
Special Operations Command is a command formation of equal status to the other commands in the ADF and includes all of Army'sspecial forces units.[83][84] Special Operations Command comprises:[83][85]
Infantry, and some other combat units of the Australian Army carry flags called the King's Colour and the Regimental Colour, known as "the Colours".[86] Armoured units carry Standards and Guidons – flags smaller than Colours and traditionally carried by Cavalry, Lancer, Light Horse and Mounted Infantry units. The1st Armoured Regiment is the only unit in the Australian Army to carry a Standard, in the tradition of heavy armoured units. Artillery units' guns are considered to be their Colours, and on parade are provided with the same respect.[87] Non-combat units (combat service support corps) do not have Colours, as Colours are battle flags and so are only available to combat units. As a substitute, many have Standards or Banners.[88] Units awardedbattle honours have them emblazoned on their Colours, Standards and Guidons. They are a link to the unit's past and a memorial to the fallen. Artillery do not have Battle Honours – their single Honour is "Ubique" which means "Everywhere" – although they can receive Honour Titles.[89]
The Army is the guardian of theNational Flag and as such, unlike theRoyal Australian Air Force, does not have a flag or Colours. The Army, instead, has a banner, known as the Army Banner. To commemorate the centenary of the Army, the Governor-GeneralSir William Deane, presented the Army with a new Banner at a parade in front of theAustralian War Memorial on 10 March 2001. The banner was presented to theRegimental Sergeant Major of the Army (RSM-A), Warrant Officer Peter Rosemond.[90][91]
The Army Banner bears theAustralian Coat of Arms on the obverse, with the dates "1901–2001" in gold in the upper hoist. The reverse bears theRising Sun badge of the Australian Army, flanked by sevencampaign honours on small gold-edged scrolls:South Africa,World War I,World War II,Korea,Malaya-Borneo,South Vietnam, and Peacekeeping. The banner is trimmed with gold fringe, has gold and crimson cords and tassels, and is mounted on a pike with the usual British royal crest finial.[92]
As of June 2022 the Army had 28,387 permanent (regular) members[93] and 20,742 reservists (part-time);[94] all of whom are volunteers. As of June 2022, women made up 15.11% of the Army, with a target set for 18% 2025.[95] Gender based restrictions for frontline combat or training roles were lifted in January 2013.[96] Also as of June 2022, Indigenous Australians made up 3.7% of the Army.[97]
The ranks of the Australian Army are based on the ranks of theBritish Army, and carry mostly the same actualinsignia. Forofficers the ranks are identical except for the shoulder title "Australia". TheNon-Commissioned Officerinsignia are the same up untilWarrant Officer, where they are stylised for Australia (for example, using the Australian, rather than the British coat of arms).[98]The ranks of the Australian Army are as follows:
| Rank group | Field marshals | General officers | Field officers | Junior officers | Officer cadets | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADF code | O-11 | O-10 | O-9 | O-8 | O-7 | O-6 | O-5 | O-4 | O-3 | O-2 | O-1 | N/A | |
| Insignia |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Rank | Field marshal | General | Lieutenant-general | Major-general | Brigadier | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | Officer cadet[c] | |
| Abbreviation | FM | Gen | Lt Gen | Maj Gen | Brig | Col | Lt Col | Maj | Capt | Lt | 2Lt | OCdt | |
| Rank group | Warrant officers | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Soldiers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADF code | E-10 | E-09 | E-08 | E-06 | E-05 | E-04 | E-03 | E-02 |
| Insignia | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | No insignia | |
| Typical appointment | Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army | Regimental sergeant major | Squadron/battery/company sergeant major | |||||
| Rank | Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 2 | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal | Private Proficient[d] | Private(or equivalent) | |
| Abbreviation | WO1 | WO2 | Sgt | Cpl | LCpl | Pte(P) | Pte | |
The Australian Army uniforms are detailed in the Australian Army Dress Manual[101] and are grouped into nine general categories, each ranging from ceremonial dress, to general duties dress, tobattle dress (in addition there are a number of special categories specific to uniforms that are only worn when posted to specific locations, like ADFA or RMC-D), these are further divided into individual 'Dress Orders' denoted by alphabetical suffixes that detail the specific items of clothing, embellishment and accoutrements, i.e.Dress Order No. 1A - 'Ceremonial Parade Service Dress', Dress Order No. 2G - 'General Duty Office Dress', Dress Order No 4C 'Combat Dress (AMCU)' . Theslouch hat or beret are the regular service and general duties hat, while thefield hat, or combat helmet is for use in the field while training, on exercise, or on operations.[102] In December 2013 the Chief of Army reversed a previous ban on berets as general duties headwear for all personnel except Special Forces personnel (SASR, CDO Regiments).[103]Australian Multi-cam Camouflage Uniform is the camouflage pattern for Australian Army camouflage uniforms, and was introduced in 2014, replacing theDisruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform (DPCU), andDisruptive Pattern Desert Uniform (DPDU) for all Australian Army orders of dress.
| Small arms | Enhanced F88 Austeyr (EF88) (service rifle),F89 Minimi (support weapon),F9 SWS (sidearm) is replacing theBrowning Hi-Power,MAG-58 (general purpose machine gun),HK417,SR-98 (sniper rifle),Maximi andAW50F.[104][105] |
| Special forces | M4 carbine,Heckler & Koch USP,SR-25,F89 Minimi,MP5,SR-98,Maximi,HK416,HK417,Blaser R93 Tactical,Barrett M82 andMk14 EBR. |
| Artillery | 48M777A2155 mm Howitzer,[106] 176M252A1 81mm Mortar,[107] andM224A1 60mm Mortar.[108] |
| Main battle tanks | 46M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams of the 75 ordered as of 2024 have been delivered replacing the M1A1 Abrams.[109][110] |
| Armoured recovery vehicles | 13M88A2 Hercules Armoured Recovery Vehicles.[111][112] |
| Reconnaissance vehicles | 257ASLAVs, to be replaced beginning in 2019 with 211Boxers. |
| Armoured Personnel Carriers | 431M113s upgraded toM113AS3/4 standard, to be replaced with theHanwha Redback.[113] |
| Infantry Mobility Vehicles | 763Bushmaster (Protected Mobility Vehicle - Medium) as of November 2023 were in service,[114] 31HMT Extenda Mk1 Nary vehicles and 89 HMT Extenda Mk2. |
| Light Utility Vehicles | G-Wagon 4x4 and 6x6,Hawkei (Protected Mobility Vehicle - Light). |
| Trucks | Rheinmetall MANHX series.[115] |
| Wheeled artillery | 8M142 HIMARS from an order of 42 as of 2025 are in service.[116][117] |
| Tracked artillery | 30AS9 Huntsman are expected to begin entering service in early 2026.[118][119] |
| Radar | AN/TPQ-36 Firefinder radar, AMSTAR Ground Surveillance RADAR, AN/TPQ-48 Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar, GIRAFFE FOC, Portable Search and Target Acquisition Radar – Extended Range, CEA Tactical (Hawkei), CEA Operational (HX77). |
| Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | RQ-7B Shadow 200,Wasp AE, andPD-100 Black Hornet.[120][121] |
| Transport helicopters | 14Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavy transport helicopters.[122] 17Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters for medium lift/utility are in service as of 2025 with a total of 40 to be delivered by 2030.[123][124] |
| Attack helicopters | 22Eurocopter Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters (ARH), to be replaced with 29Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardians between 2025-29.[125] As of November 2025, four AH-64E Apache Guardians have been delivered.[126] |
| Training helicopters | 15Eurocopter EC-135T2+ training helicopters, jointly shared with Navy.[127][128] |
_Eurocopter_Tiger_ARH_display_at_the_2015_Australian_International_Airshow.jpg)
The Army's operational headquarters, Forces Command, is located atVictoria Barracks in Sydney.[129] The Australian Army's three regular brigades are based atRobertson Barracks nearDarwin,[130]Lavarack Barracks inTownsville, andGallipoli Barracks inBrisbane.[131] The Deployable Joint Force Headquarters is also located at Gallipoli Barracks.[132]
Other important Army bases include theArmy Aviation Centre nearOakey, Queensland,Holsworthy Barracks near Sydney,Lone Pine Barracks inSingleton, New South Wales andWoodside Barracks nearAdelaide, South Australia.[133] TheSASR is based atCampbell BarracksSwanbourne, a suburb ofPerth, Western Australia.[134]
Puckapunyal, north ofMelbourne, houses the Australian Army'sCombined Arms Training Centre,[135] Land Warfare Development Centre, and three of the five principal Combat Arms schools. Further barracks includeSteele Barracks in Sydney,Keswick Barracks in Adelaide, andIrwin Barracks atKarrakatta in Perth. Dozens ofAustralian Army Reserve depots are located across Australia.[136]
Since June 1948, the Australian Army has published its own journal titled theAustralian Army Journal. The journal's first editor was ColonelEustace Keogh, and initially, it was intended to assume the role that theArmy Training Memoranda had filled during the Second World War, although its focus, purpose, and format has shifted over time.[137] Covering a broad range of topics including essays, book reviews and editorials, with submissions from serving members as well as professional authors, the journal's stated goal is to provide "...the primary forum for Army's professional discourse... [and]... debate within the Australian Army... [and improve the]... intellectual rigor of that debate by adhering to a strict and demanding standard of quality".[138] In 1976, the journal was placed on hiatus as theDefence Force Journal began publication;[137] however, publishing of theAustralian Army Journal began again in 1999 and since then the journal has been published largely on a quarterly basis, with only minimal interruptions.[139]
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