| Chief of the Defence Force | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
.jpg) | |
| Style | Admiral General Air Chief Marshal |
| Abbreviation | CDF |
| Member of | Australian Defence Force |
| Reports to | Minister for Defence |
| Term length | Four years[1] |
| Formation | 23 March 1958 |
| First holder | Lieutenant General Sir Henry Wells |
| Deputy | Vice Chief of the Defence Force |
| Website | Official website |
TheChief of the Defence Force (CDF) is thehighest-ranking andmost senior military officer in theAustralian Defence Force (ADF) and is the principal military advisor to theNational Security Committee and theMinister for Defence. The current Chief of the Defence Force is AdmiralDavid Johnston, who took office on 10 July 2024.
The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister for Defence and provides advice on matters that relate to military activity, including military operations.[2] In adiarchy, the CDF serves as co-chairman of theDefence Committee, conjointly with theSecretary of Defence, in the command and control of theAustralian Defence Organisation.[3]
The CDF is the Australian equivalent position of what inNATO and theEuropean Union is known as theChief of Defence, in the United Kingdom is known as theChief of the Defence Staff, and in the United States is known as theChairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, although with the latter prohibited by law from having operational command authority over the US Armed Forces.[4]
Constitutionally, theGovernor-General of Australia, is thede jure Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force. However, in practice, theAustralian Governmentde facto exercisesexecutive power via theFederal Executive Council.[5] The CDF is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of his/her ministers. The appointment is politically neutral, as are all military positions, and not affected by a change of government.
Since 4 July 2014, the CDF is appointed for a fixed four-year term under theDefence Act (1903). Prior to this date, the appointment was for three years.[1] The position of CDF is notionally rotated between theRoyal Australian Navy, theAustralian Army and theRoyal Australian Air Force. However, in practice this has not been the case; of twenty appointees, twelve have been from the Army, six from the Navy and four from the Air Force.[6]
During peacetime, the Chief of the Defence Force is the onlyfour-star officer in the ADF (admiral,general, orair chief marshal). The CDF is assisted by theVice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF) and serves as the Chairman of theChiefs of Service Committee, composed of the service chiefs: theChief of Navy (CN),Chief of Army (CA), andChief of Air Force (CAF), all of whom arethree-star officers (vice admiral,lieutenant general, andair marshal), as is the VCDF.
Prior to 1958 there was no CDF or equivalent; a Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) existed but no separate position was established as its senior officer. Instead, the senior service chief served as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee.[7] In March 1958, Lieutenant GeneralSir Henry Wells was appointedChairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, a role independent of and notionally senior to the Army, Navy and Air Force chiefs. However, Wells and his successors did not command the Australian armed forces in any legal sense; the chairman had only an advisory role in the running of the separate services. In February 1976, COSC was dissolved and the new position ofChief of Defence Force Staff (CDFS) was created with command authority over the ADF. In October 1984 the position was renamed Chief of the Defence Force to more clearly reflect the role and its authority.[8]
The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Chief of the Defence Force or its preceding positions. The official title of the position at that period of time is listed immediately before the officers who held the role. The honours are as at the completion of the individual's term.
| No. | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee | ||||||
| 1 |  | Wells, HenryLieutenant General Sir Henry WellsKBE, CB, DSO (1898–1973) | 23 March 1958 | 22 March 1959 | 364 days | Army |
| 2 |  | Dowling, RoyVice Admiral Sir Roy DowlingKBE, CB, DSO (1901–1969) | 23 March 1959 | 27 May 1961 | 2 years, 65 days | Navy |
| 3 |  | Scherger, FrederickAir Chief Marshal Sir Frederick SchergerKBE, CB, DSO, AFC (1904–1984) | 28 May 1961 | 18 May 1966 | 4 years, 355 days | Air force |
| 4 |  | Wilton, JohnGeneral Sir John WiltonKBE, CB, DSO (1910–1981) | 19 May 1966 | 22 November 1970 | 4 years, 187 days | Army |
| 5 |  | Smith, VictorAdmiral Sir Victor SmithAC, KBE, CB, DSC (1913–1998) | 23 November 1970 | 23 November 1975 | 5 years, 0 days | Navy |
| 6 |  | Hassett, FrankGeneral Frank HassettAC, CB, CBE, DSO, LVO (1918–2008) | 24 November 1975 | 8 February 1976 | 76 days | Army |
| Chief of Defence Force Staff | ||||||
| 6 |  | Hassett, FrankGeneral Sir Frank HassettAC, KBE, CB, DSO, LVO (1918–2008) | 9 February 1976 | 20 April 1977 | 1 year, 70 days | Army |
| 7 | .jpg) | MacDonald, ArthurGeneral Sir Arthur MacDonaldKBE, CB (1919–1995) | 21 April 1977 | 20 April 1979 | 1 year, 364 days | Army |
| 8 |  | Synnot, ArthurAdmiral Sir Anthony SynnotKBE, AO (1922–2001) | 21 April 1979 | 20 April 1982 | 2 years, 364 days | Navy |
| 9 |  | McNamara, NevilleAir Chief Marshal Sir Neville McNamaraKBE, AO, AFC, AE (1923–2014) | 21 April 1982 | 12 April 1984 | 1 year, 357 days | Air force |
| 10 |  | Bennett, PhillipGeneral Sir Phillip BennettAC, KBE, DSO (1928–2023) | 13 April 1984 | 25 October 1984 | 195 days | Army |
| Chief of the Defence Force | ||||||
| 10 | | Bennett, PhillipGeneral Sir Phillip BennettAC, KBE, DSO (1928–2023) | 26 October 1984 | 12 April 1987 | 2 years, 168 days | Army |
| 11 | | Gration, PeterGeneral Peter GrationAC, OBE (born 1932) | 13 April 1987 | 16 April 1993 | 6 years, 3 days | Army |
| 12 |  | Beaumont, AlanAdmiral Alan BeaumontAC (1934–2004) | 17 April 1993 | 6 July 1995 | 2 years, 80 days | Navy |
| 13 |  | Baker, JohnGeneral John BakerAC, DSM (1936–2007) | 7 July 1995 | 3 July 1998 | 2 years, 361 days | Army |
| 14 | _(cropped).jpg) | Barrie, ChrisAdmiral Chris BarrieAC (born 1945) | 4 July 1998 | 3 July 2002 | 3 years, 364 days | Navy |
| 15 | _crop.jpg) | Cosgrove, PeterGeneral Peter CosgroveAC, MC (born 1947) | 4 July 2002 | 3 July 2005 | 2 years, 364 days | Army |
| 16 |  | Houston, AngusAir Chief Marshal Angus HoustonAC, AFC (born 1947) | 4 July 2005 | 3 July 2011 | 5 years, 364 days | Air force |
| 17 | .jpg) | Hurley, DavidGeneral David HurleyAC, DSC (born 1953) | 4 July 2011 | 30 June 2014 | 2 years, 361 days | Army |
| 18 | .jpg) | Binskin, MarkAir Chief Marshal Mark BinskinAC (born 1960) | 30 June 2014 | 6 July 2018 | 4 years, 6 days | Air force |
| 19 |  | Campbell, AngusGeneral Angus CampbellAO, DSC (born 1963) | 6 July 2018 | 10 July 2024 | 6 years, 4 days | Army |
| 20 | | Johnston, DavidAdmiral David JohnstonAC (born 1962) | 10 July 2024 | Incumbent | 1 year, 132 days | Navy |
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