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]
| Aus code | Navy | Army | RAAF | ||
| Flag/General/Air officers[3] | |||||
| O-11 | Admiral of the Fleet | Field Marshal | Marshal of the RAAF | ||
| O-10 | General | Air Chief Marshal | |||
| O-9 | Vice Admiral | Lieutenant general | Air Marshal | ||
| O-8 | Rear Admiral | Major General | Air Vice Marshal | ||
| O-7 | Air Commodore | ||||
| Senior officers | |||||
| O-7 | Commodore Principal Chaplain Principal MSWO | - | |||
| OF-5 | O-6 | Captain (RAN) Senior Chaplain (Class 4) Principal MSWO (Class 4) | Colonel | Group Captain | |
| OF-4 | O-5 | Commander Chaplain/MSWO (Div/Class 1-3) | Lieutenant Colonel | Wing Commander | |
| OF-3 | O-4 | Lieutenant Commander | Major | Squadron Leader | |
| Junior officers | |||||
| OF-2 | O-3 | 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 | - |
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 | - | |
| 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 | - |
| Aus Code | Navy | Army | RAAF | ||
| Enlisted | |||||
| OR-3 | E-3 | Able Seaman | Private proficient* (E-2) | Leading Aircraftman/Leading Aircraftwoman | |
| OR-2 | E-2 | Seaman | Private | Aircraftman/Aircraftwoman |
The rank insignia for commissioned officers for the navy, army and air force respectively.
The rank insignia for enlisted personnel for the navy, army and air force respectively.
The historical changes to rank insignia for enlisted personnel of the navy.[4]
(1827-1853) | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Petty officer 1st class | Petty officer 2nd class | Able seaman | Ordinary seaman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1853-1890) | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief petty officer | Petty officer 1st class | Petty officer 2nd class | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Ordinary seaman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1890-1901) | Arm badge replaced by lapel badges | No insignia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief petty officer | Petty officer 1st class | Petty officer 2nd class | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Ordinary seaman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1901-1907) | Arm badge replaced by lapel badges | No insignia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief petty officer | Petty officer 1st class | Petty officer 2nd class | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Ordinary seaman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1907-1925) | Arm badge replaced by lapel badges | No insignia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief petty officer | Petty officer | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Ordinary seaman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1925-1953) | Three cuff buttons | No insignia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief petty officer | Petty officer | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Ordinary seaman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1953-1966) | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief petty officer | Petty officer | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Ordinary seaman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1966-1971) | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief petty officer | Petty officer | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Ordinary seaman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1971-1974) | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant officer | Chief petty officer | Petty officer | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Ordinary seaman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1974-1991) | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant officer | Chief petty officer | Petty officer | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Seaman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1991-1993) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant officer | Chief petty officer | Petty officer | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Seaman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(1993-present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant Officer of the Navy | Warrant officer | Chief petty officer | Petty officer | Leading seaman | Able seaman | Seaman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||