Vice admiral (Australia)
Second-highest active rank of the Royal Australian Navy
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Vice admiral (abbreviated as VADM) is the second-highest active rank of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). It is a three-star rank, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British rank of vice admiral. The rank is held by the Chief of Navy and, when the positions are held by navy officers, by the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, the Chief of Joint Operations, the Chief of Joint Capabilities, or equivalent position.
| Vice admiral | |
|---|---|
Vice admiral's command flag | |
 The VADM insignia | |
| Country | Australia |
| Service branch | Royal Australian Navy |
| Abbreviation | VADM |
| Rank group | Flag officer |
| Rank | Three-star |
| Non-NATO rank | OF-8 |
| Pay grade | O-9 |
| Formation | 12 July 1936 |
| Next higher rank | Admiral |
| Next lower rank | Rear admiral |
| Equivalent ranks | Lieutenant general (Army) Air marshal (RAAF) |
Vice admiral is a higher rank than rear admiral, but lower than admiral. Vice admiral is the equivalent of air marshal in the Royal Australian Air Force and lieutenant general in the Australian Army.
Since the mid-1990s, the insignia of a Royal Australian Navy vice admiral is the Crown of St. Edward above a crossed sabre[Note 1] and baton, above three silver stars, above the word "AUSTRALIA".[1] The stars have eight points as in the equivalent Royal Navy insignia. Prior to 1995, the RAN shoulder board was identical to the British shoulder board.
List of vice admirals
This along with the * (asterisk) indicates that the officer was subsequently promoted to admiral.
This along with the ^ (arrowhead) indicates that the officer is a currently serving vice admiral.
The following people have held the rank of vice admiral in the Royal Australian Navy:
| Name | Year of promotion | Senior command(s) or appointment(s) in rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sir William Creswell | 1922[Note 2] | [2] | |
| Sir William Clarkson | 1922[Note 3] | Third Naval Member (1911–22) | [3] |
| Sir George Hyde* | 1932 | First Naval Member and Chief of Staff (1931–37) | [4] |
| Sir John Collins | 1950 | First Naval Member and Chief of Staff (1948–55) | [5] |
| Sir Roy Dowling | 1955 | First Naval Member and Chief of Staff (1955–59) | [6] |
| Sir Henry Burrell | 1959 | First Naval Member and Chief of Staff (1959–62) | [7] |
| Sir Hastings Harrington | 1962 | First Naval Member and Chief of Staff (1962–65) | [8] |
| Sir Alan McNicoll | 1965 | First Naval Member and Chief of Staff (1965–68) | [9] |
| Sir Victor Smith* | 1968 | First Naval Member and Chief of Staff (1968–70) | [10] |
| Sir Richard Peek | 1970 | First Naval Member and Chief of Staff (1970–73) | [11] |
| Sir David Stevenson | 1973 | First Naval Member and Chief of Staff (1973–76) | [12] |
| Sir Anthony Synnot* | 1976 | Chief of Naval Staff (1976–79) | [13] |
| Sir James Willis | 1979 | Chief of Naval Staff (1979–82) | [14] |
| David Leach | 1982 | Chief of Naval Staff (1982–85) | [15] |
| Michael Hudson* | 1985 | Chief of Naval Staff (1985–91) | [16] |
| Ian Knox | 1987 | Vice Chief of the Defence Force (1987–89) | [17] |
| Alan Beaumont* | 1989 | Vice Chief of the Defence Force (1989–92) | [18] |
| Ian MacDougall | 1991 | Chief of Naval Staff (1991–94) | [19] |
| Rodney Taylor | 1991 | Chief of Naval Staff (1994–97) | [20] |
| Robert Walls | 1995 | Vice Chief of the Defence Force (1995–97) | [21] |
| Donald Chalmers | 1997 | Chief of Navy (1997–99) | [22] |
| Chris Barrie* | 1997 | Vice Chief of the Defence Force (1997–98) | [23] |
| David Shackleton | 1999 | Chief of Navy (1999–2002) | [24] |
| Chris Ritchie | 2002 | Chief of Navy (2002–05) | [25] |
| Russ Shalders | 2002 | Chief of Navy (2005–08), Vice Chief of the Defence Force (2002–05) | [26] |
| Matt Tripovich | 2007 | Chief Capability Development Group (2007–10) | [27] |
| Russ Crane | 2008 | Chief of Navy (2008–11) | [28] |
| Ray Griggs | 2011 | Vice Chief of the Defence Force (2014–18), Chief of Navy (2011–14) | [29] |
| Peter Jones | 2011 | Chief Capability Development Group (2011–14) | [30] |
| David Johnston* | 2014 | Vice Chief of the Defence Force (2018–24), Chief of Joint Operations (2014–18) | [31] |
| Tim Barrett | 2014 | Chief of Navy (2014–18) | [32] |
| Michael Noonan | 2018 | Chief of Navy (2018–22) | [33] |
| Stuart Mayer | 2019 | Deputy Commander United Nations Command (2019–21) | [34] |
| Jonathan Mead^ | 2020 | Director-General of the Australian Submarine Agency (2023–), Chief of the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Task Force (2021–23), Chief of Joint Capabilities (2020–21) | [35] |
| Mark Hammond* | 2022 | Chief of Navy (2022–26) | [36] |
| Justin Jones^ | 2024 | Chief of Joint Operations (2024–) | [37] |
| Matt Buckley^ | 2026 | Chief of Navy (2026–) | [38] |
See also
Notes
- Creswell, who served as First Naval Member, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board from 1911 to 1919, was promoted to vice admiral on the Retired List in 1922.[2]
