Chief of Navy (Australia) explained

Post:	Chief
Body:	the
Flag:	Flag of the Australian Navy Board.svg
Flagcaption:	Flag of the Chief of Navy
Insignia:	Chief Of Navy Australia.png
Insigniacaption:	Crest of the Chief of Navy
Incumbent:	Vice Admiral Mark Hammond
Incumbentsince:	6 July 2022
Style:	Vice Admiral
Member Of:	Australian Defence Force
Reports To:	Chief of the Defence Force
Termlength:	Three years
Termlength Qualified:	(renewable)
Formation:	25 February 1904
First:	Rear Admiral Sir William Creswell
Deputy:	Deputy Chief of Navy

The Chief of Navy is the most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy, responsible to the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) and the Secretary of Defence. The rank associated with the position is vice admiral (3-star).

Vice Admiral Mark Hammond is the current Chief of Navy; he assumed the position on 6 July 2022.

Appointees

The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Chief of Navy or its preceding positions. Rank and honours are as at the completion of the individual's tours.

Rank and prefix	Name	Postnominal(s)	Service	Term began	Term ended	Time in appointment
Director, Commonwealth Naval Forces
				align=right		align=right		align=right
First Naval Member, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board
Rear Admiral Sir			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Rear Admiral Sir				align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral Sir			RN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Rear Admiral			RN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Rear Admiral			RN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral Sir			RN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Admiral Sir			RN/RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Admiral Sir			RN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Admiral Sir			RN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Admiral Sir			RN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral Sir			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral Sir			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral Sir			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral Sir			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral Sir			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral Sir			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral Sir			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral Sir			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Chief of the Naval Staff
Vice Admiral Sir			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral Sir			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Admiral^[1]			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Chief of Navy
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right
Vice Admiral			RAN	align=right		align=right	Incumbent

Notes and References

1. Hudson was promoted to vice admiral and appointed Chief of Naval Staff on 21 April 1985. He served in that position as a vice admiral for almost 6 years. On the day of his retirement, 8 March 1991, Prime Minister Bob Hawke promoted Hudson to the rank of admiral to honour his distinguished forty-four years of service to the Navy. Obituary, Naval Historical Review, March 2005, pp.32-33. Australian Naval History on 8 March 1991, Naval Historical Society of Australia.