Vice Admiral Christopher Angus Ritchie is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy,who served as Chief of Navy from 2002 to 2005.
HMAS Arunta is an Anzac-class frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The ship,named for the Arrernte people,was laid down in 1995 and commissioned in 1998. Since entering service,Arunta has performed a wide range of duties,including border protection patrols in northern Australian waters,and several deployments to the Persian Gulf.
Admiral Christopher Alexander Barrie,is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy,who served as Chief of the Defence Force from 4 July 1998 to 3 July 2002.
Vice Admiral Russell Edward Shalders,is a retired admiral of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). He served as Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Force from 2002 to 2005,and as Chief of Navy from 2005 to 2008.
Vice Admiral Sir Roy Russell Dowling,was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). He served as Chief of Naval Staff (CNS),the RAN's highest-ranking position,from 1955 until 1959,and as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC),forerunner of the role of Australia's Chief of the Defence Force,from 1959 until 1961.
Vice Admiral Russell Harry Crane,is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN),who served as the Chief of Navy from July 2008 until his retirement in June 2011.
Vice Admiral Matthew John Tripovich,is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy. He served as Chief Capability Development Group from 2007 until his retirement in October 2010.
Air Chief Marshal Mark Donald Binskin,is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Air Force Reserve. He served as Chief of Air Force (2008–11),Vice Chief of the Defence Force (2011–14),and Chief of the Defence Force from June 2014 until his retirement in July 2018. In February 2020 he was appointed as a Commissioner and Chairman of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. He is the current chair of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Australia.
Rear Admiral Nigel Stephen Coates,was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy.
Rear Admiral Marcus Frederick Bonser,is a retired flag rank officer of the Royal Australian Navy. His final posting was as Head of the Military Justice Implementation Team for the Australian Defence Force.
Rear Admiral Stephen Richard Gilmore,is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy. He served as Commander Australian Fleet from October 2009 until December 2011,and as the Head Australian Defence Staff (Washington) and Australian Defence Attachéat the Embassy of Australia,Washington,D.C. from January 2014 until his retirement in 2017.
Admiral David Lance Johnston,is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy. He served as Deputy Commander Joint Task Force 633 on Operation Slipper in 2010,Commander Border Protection Command from 2011 to 2013 and,following promotion to vice admiral,was posted as Chief of Joint Operations from 2014 until 2018. Johnston was appointed Vice Chief of the Defence Force in July 2018. He was promoted to admiral and appointed Chief of the Defence Force on 10 July 2024.
Vice Admiral Timothy William Barrett,is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy Reserve. Barrett served as Commander Australian Fleet from 2011 to 2014,before being appointed Chief of Navy in June 2014. He retired in July 2018 after four years as navy chief and 42 years in the navy.
Vice Admiral Stuart Campbell Mayer,is a retired senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy. He joined the navy via the Royal Australian Naval College at HMAS Creswell in 1984 and qualified as a Principal Warfare Officer in 1994. He commanded HMAS Canberra (2002–04),HMAS Anzac (2007–09) and the International Stabilisation Force (2009–10),and deployed on operations to the Persian Gulf,East Timor,and the Arabian Sea during the Iraq War. He served as Commander Australian Fleet from 2014 to 2018,Head Force Design within the Vice Chief of Defence Force Group from 2018 to 2019,and Deputy Commander United Nations Command,based in South Korea,from 2019 to 2021. He retired from the navy in 2022 and was appointed a partner in Ernst &Young's consulting division.
Vice Admiral Ian Warren Knox,was a senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). In a 42-year career,Knox commanded HMA Ships Torrens,Hobart and Melbourne,briefly served as Deputy Chief of Naval Staff,and was Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet from 1985 to 1987. His career culminated with his appointment as Vice Chief of the Defence Force in January 1987;a position he held until his retirement in September 1989.
Vice Admiral Robert Andrew Kevin Walls,was a senior officer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). In 42 years of service,Walls commanded HMA Ships Tobruk,Moreton and Brisbane,and served as Deputy Chief of Naval Staff and Maritime Commander Australia,before his career culminated in his appointment as Vice Chief of the Defence Force from April 1995 until his retirement in March 1997.
Vice Admiral Jonathan Dallas Mead,is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy. He joined the navy via the Royal Australian Naval College at HMAS Creswell in 1984,and spent his early career with the Clearance Diving Branch before training as a Principal Warfare Officer. He captained HMAS Parramatta on operations in the Persian Gulf from 2006 to 2007 during the Iraq War and commanded Combined Task Force 150,overseeing maritime counter-terrorism operations around the Arabian Peninsula and Horn of Africa,from 2011 to 2012. He served as Head of Navy Capability from 2015 to 2017,Commander Australian Fleet from 2018 to 2020,Chief of Joint Capabilities from 2020 to 2021,and was appointed Chief of the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Task Force in September 2021.
Vice Admiral Mark David Hammond is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN),serving as the Chief of Navy since July 2022. He joined the RAN as an electronics technician in 1986 and,after being accepted for officer training,graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1990. Much of Hammond's career has been spent in the Submarine Service. He has served on operations in the Indo-Pacific,commanded the Collins-class submarineHMAS Farncomb,was Deputy Chief of Navy from 2018 to 2020,and served as Commander Australian Fleet from November 2020 to June 2022. He succeeded Vice Admiral Michael Noonan as Chief of Navy on 6 July 2022.
Rear Admiral Jonathan Paul Earley,is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). He joined the RAN as a maritime warfare officer in January 1990,and has commanded HMAS Ballarat (2011–12) and HMAS Adelaide (2017–18). He served as Commander Australian Fleet from June to December 2022 and Deputy Chief of Navy from December 2022 to July 2024,before being appointed as Head Military Strategic Commitments.
Vice Admiral Justin Garred Jones,is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN),serving as the Chief of Joint Operations since July 2024. He joined the RAN in 1988. He has commanded HMAS Newcastle (2008–10) and HMAS Success (2014–16) and served as Director of the Sea Power Centre (2011–14). He was Commander Maritime Border Command from 2022 to 2024 and Deputy Chief of Joint Operations from January to July 2024.
