List of Royal Australian Navy admirals

The following is a list of Australians who have attained admiral rank within the Royal Australian Navy ; that is, officers who have held the rank of admiral, vice admiral or rear admiral. The Commonwealth Naval Forces were established on 1 March 1901, following the Federation of Australia, as Australia's naval force. The service was reorganised and re-titled as the RAN in 1911. William Creswell, regarded as the "father" of the RAN, was the service's first member to attain flag rank on being promoted to rear admiral in 1911; he later also became the first vice admiral. In 1936, Sir George Hyde became the first officer to be promoted to full admiral, one of only seven members of the RAN to attain this rank as of July 2024. A further 28 individuals have reached vice admiral in the RAN and 139 rear admiral. Five officers have additionally retired with the honorary rank of rear admiral.

Admirals

The rank of admiral is the most senior rank within the RAN to which, excluding ceremonial appointments, any officer has been promoted. Only the five-star rank of admiral of the fleet is higher, but it has been held in only a ceremonial capacity. As there are currently no appointments in the Australian Defence Force at the five-star level, there is no prospect of a RAN officer achieving the rank in a professional capacity. With the current structure of the ADF, the rank of admiral is held only when an officer of the RAN is appointed as Chief of the Defence Force. There was, however, an exception to this when Michael Hudson was promoted to admiral on the day of his retirement in 1991 by Prime Minister Bob Hawke in recognition of his six years of service as Chief of the Naval Staff.
Admirals of the RAN are as follows:

Name	Born	Died	Date promoted	Senior command	Notes
	1946	—		Chief of the Defence Force, [Vice Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)\|Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)\|Vice Chief of the Defence Force]
	1934	2004		Chief of the Defence Force, Vice Chief of the Defence Force
	1933	2005		Chief of Naval Staff, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet
	1877	1937		First Naval Member, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board, Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Squadron
*	1962	—		Chief of the Defence Force, Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Chief of Joint Operations
	1913	1998		Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chief of Naval Staff, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet
	1922	2001		Chief of the Defence Force Staff, Chief of Naval Staff

Vice admirals

Vice admiral is the highest permanent rank in the RAN. The rank of vice admiral is always held by the Chief of Navy, though is also held when a RAN officer is appointed as Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Chief of Joint Operations, Chief of Joint Capabilities or an equivalent position.
Vice admirals of the RAN are as follows:

Name	Born	Died	Date promoted	Senior command	Notes
	1959	—		Chief of Navy, Commander Australian Fleet, Commander Border Protection Command
	1904	1988		First Naval Member, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet
	1942	—		Chief of Navy, Maritime Commander Australia
	1859	1934		Third Naval Member
	1899	1989		First Naval Member, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board, Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Squadron
	1954	—		Chief of Navy, [Deputy Chief of Navy (Australia)\|Chief of Navy (Australia)\|Deputy Chief of Navy]
	1852	1933		First Naval Member, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board, Director, Commonwealth Naval Forces
	1901	1969		Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, First Naval Member, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board
	1961	—		Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Chief of Navy
*	—	—		Chief of Navy, Commander Australian Fleet, Deputy Chief of Navy
	1906	1965		First Naval Member, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet
	1957	—		Chief Capability Development Group
	1933	2024		Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
	1928	2020		Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Naval Personnel, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet
	1938	2020		Chief of Naval Staff, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Maritime Commander Australia
	1908	1987		Chief of Naval Staff, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet
	1965	—		Deputy Commander United Nations Command
*	1964	—		Chief of the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Task Force, Chief of Joint Capabilities, Commander Australian Fleet
	1966	—		Chief of Navy, Deputy Chief of Navy, Commander Border Protection Command
	1914	2010		First Naval Member, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
	1949	—		Chief of Navy, Deputy Chief of Navy, Maritime Commander Australia
	1948	—		Chief of Navy
	1951	—		Chief of Navy, Vice Chief of the Defence Force
	1918	1998		First Naval Member, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
	1940	2002		Chief of Navy, Chief of Naval Staff, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
	1956	—		Chief Capability Development Group, Head Capability Systems
	1941	2023		Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Assistant Chief of Defence Force, Maritime Commander Australia, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
	1923	2003		Chief of Naval Staff, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet

Rear admirals

William Creswell was the first officer, on 1 March 1911, to attain the rank of rear admiral in the RAN. Creswell had started his career in the Royal Navy but, after immigrating to the Australian colonies, joined the South Australian Naval Forces in 1885. He transferred to the Commonwealth Naval Forces following the Federation of Australia in 1901 and became the RAN's first Director and, subsequently, First Naval Member; he is widely regarded as the "father" of the RAN. Percival McNeil, however, was the first rear admiral of the RAN to have been born in Australia and Robyn Walker, promoted in 2011, was the first woman to attain flag rank in the RAN.
Rear admirals of the RAN are as follows:

Name	Born	Died	Date promoted	Senior command	Notes
	1952	—		Head Defence Personnel Executive, Deputy Chief of Navy
	1937	2022		Director General Naval Health Services
	1908	1977		Flag Officer-in-Charge East Australia Area, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Head of the Australian Joint Services Staff, London, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
	1926	1996		Chief of Naval Technical Services
*		—		Commander Joint Health Command and Surgeon General of the Australian Defence Force
	1934	2022		General Manager, HMA Dockyard Garden Island
	1952	—		Head of the Military Justice Implementation Team, Commander, Australian Defence College, Commander Australian Theatre, Director General Coast Watch
	1881	1970		Military and Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia
	1945	—		Head Submarine Capability Team, Head Strategic Command Division, Flag Officer Naval Training Command
+	1902	1965		Flag Officer-in-Charge East Australia Area
*	—	—		Deputy Chief of Navy, Head of Capability Nuclear-Powered Submarine Task Force
	1930	2014		Chief of Naval Engineering
	1945	—		Head of Strategic Logistics, Naval Support Commander, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
	—	—		Head Navy Capability, Head Helicopter Systems Division
	1883	1966		Director of Naval Medical Services
	1938	—		Commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy, Head of Australian Defence Staff – Washington, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff
	1915	2006		Chief of Naval Technical Services
Henry Priaulx Cayley	1877	1942		Naval Representative at the Australian High Commission, London
	1902	1965		Chief of Construction
	1951	—		Head of Knowledge Systems
	1959	2010		Commander Australian Fleet
	1911	1989		Director-General of RAN Medical Services
	1916	2006		Director General Naval Health Services, Director-General of RAN Medical Services
	1917	2001		Second Naval Member and Chief of Naval Supply and Works, Flag Officer Commanding East Australian Area, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Head of Australian Defence Staff – Washington
	1931	—		Chief of Supply
	1930	—		Chief of Naval Personnel
	1959	—		Deputy Director of Operations, United States Central Command
	1962	—		Head Joint Systems Division, DMO Helicopter Systems Division
	1924	2021		Head of Australian Defence Staff – Washington, Flag Officer Commanding East Australian Area
	1949	—		Head Cadet Policy
	1939	—		Assistant Chief of the Defence Force, Maritime Commander Australia, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
	1951	—		Support Commander
	1918	2007		Flag Officer Commanding East Australia Area, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Director Joint Services Plans, Second Naval Member and Chief of Personnel
	1888	1984		Third Naval Member and Chief of Construction
	1925	2007		Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Chief of Joint Operations and Plans, Chief of Naval Materiel
	1957	—		Australian Military Representative to NATO and the European Union, Head of Navy Capability, Head Navy People and Reputation, Commander Border Protection Command
*	—	—		Head Navy Engineering
*	—	—		Head Military Strategic Commitments, Deputy Chief of Navy, Commander Australian Fleet
	1899	1971		Head of Australian Defence Staff – Washington, Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Squadron
	1888	1968		Naval Officer in Charge Hobart, District Naval Officer Hobart
	1876	1950		Captain Superintendent of Naval Establishments and Captain-in-Charge, New South Wales
*	1958	—		Surgeon General Australia Defence Force Reserve
	1942	2025		Assistant Chief of Naval Staff
	1907	1983		Flag Officer-in-Charge East Australia Area, Second Naval Member and Chief of Naval Personnel, Head of Australian Defence Staff – Washington, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
	1952	—		Head of Australian Defence Staff – Washington, Maritime Commander Australia, Commander, Australian Defence College
	1910	1992		Third Naval Member and Chief of Naval Technical Services
	1961	—		Head of Australian Defence Staff – Washington, Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, Commander Australian Fleet, Head Navy People and Reputation, Commander Navy Systems Command
	1921	1999		Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Head of the Australian Defence Staff – London
	1918	1989		Judge Advocate General for the Navy
	1968	—		Commander Maritime Border Command and Commander Operation Sovereign Borders
	1958	2023		Commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy, Commander Joint Education, Training and Warfare, Commander Border Protection Command
	1916	1993		Flag Officer Commanding East Australian Area, Fourth Naval Member and Chief of Supply
	1923	2024		Flag Officer Naval Support Command, Chief of Naval Personnel
	—	—		Head of Maritime Systems
	1945	2003		Assistant Chief of Naval Staff - Materiel
	1956	—		Deputy Chief of Navy, Director General Coast Watch
	1903	1980		Flag Officer-in-Charge East Australia Area, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Head of Australian Defence Staff – Washington
	1948	—		Head of Australian Defence Staff – Washington, Support Commander
	1967	—		Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, Head of Military Strategic Commitments, Commander Joint Task Force 633
	—	—		Commander Maritime Border Command, Commander Joint Task Force 633
	1936	2013		Naval Support Commander, Chief of Naval Personnel, Chief Naval Engineer, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff - Logistics, Chief of Naval Engineering, Head of Australian Defence Staff – Washington
	1934	—		Flag Officer Naval Support Command, Chief of Naval Personnel
	1935	2014		Director RAN Submarine Project
*	—	—		Head Navy Capability
	1938	—		Assistant Chief of Naval Staff - Materiel
	—	—		Commander Joint Task Force 633, Head Military Strategic Commitments, Deputy Chief of Navy, Head Navy People and Reputation
	1959	—		Head Cadet, Reserve & Employer Support Division
	1931	2011		Chief of Naval Operational Requirements and Plans
	1948	—		Head Systems Acquisitions
	—	—		Commander Maritime Border Command
	—	—		Head Navy Engineering
	1923	1994		Director General Naval Health Services
	1902	1987		Director of Naval Medical Services
	1926	2016		Chief of Naval Operational Requirements and Plans
	1949	—		Maritime Commander Australia, Head Joint Education and Training, Commander Naval Training
*	—	—		Commander, Australian Defence College
	1926	2017		Chief of Naval Technical Services, Chief of the Service Laboratories and Trials Division
*	—	—		Head Patrol Boats & Specialist Ships, Head Maritime Systems
	1962	—		Head of Maritime Systems
	1933	1990		Flag Officer, Naval Support Command, Chief of Naval Personnel
	1922	2014		Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Flag Officer Commanding the Australian Fleet, Flag Officer Commanding East Australian Area
	1919	2012		Chief of Naval Personnel, Chief of Naval Supply and Works
	1883	1951		Third Naval Member and Chief of Naval Construction, Director of Engineering
	1910	1987		Second Naval Member and Chief of Naval Personnel
	1955	—		Head of the Future Submarine Program, Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, Maritime Commander Australia, Deputy Chief of Navy
+	1893	1979		Flag Officer in Command New South Wales, Naval Officer-in-Charge Sydney
*	—	—		Director Combined Maritime Operations, United States Pacific Fleet
	1911	1983		Flag Officer-in-Charge East Australia Area, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
*	—	—		Head of Australian Defence Staff – Washington, Acting Chief of Joint Capabilities, Commander Joint Logistics
	1921	1991		Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
	1917	1995		Third Naval Member and Chief of Naval Technical Services, Project Director of the Light Destroyer Project
+	1906	1974		Flag Officer-in-Charge East Australia Area
	1946	—		Deputy Chief of Navy, Commander Australian Theatre, Maritime Commander Australia, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff
	1903	1975		Fourth Naval Member and Chief of Supply
	—	—		Summary Discipline Implementation Team
*	—	—		Head Recruiting and Retention, Commander Defence COVID-19 Taskforce, Commander Joint Task Force 629
	1887	1959		Flag Officer in Charge New South Wales and Admiral Superintendent – Sydney
	1895	1955		Director of Naval Medical Services
	—	—		Head Maritime Systems
	1942	—		Head Systems Acquisition, Chief Naval Engineer and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff
	1912	1997		Third Naval Member and Chief of Naval Technical Services
	—	—		Head Navy Capability, Head Force Integration
	1932	—		Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
+	1909	1978		Judge Advocate General of the Naval Forces
	1922	2017		Chief of Naval Technical Services
	—	—		Head Navy Engineering
	1930	2022		Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Joint Operations
	1925	2020		Flag Officer Naval Support Command, Head of Australian Defence Staff – London
	1956	—		Head Maritime Systems
	—	—		Commander Joint Task Force 633, Head of Information Communications Technology Operations
	1928	2012		Chief of Naval Materiel
	1937	—		Judge Advocate General of the Australian Defence Force
*	—	—		Judge Advocate General of the Australian Defence Force
	1952	—		Head Maritime Systems
	1966	—		General Manager Submarines, Head Future Submarine Program
	1952	—		Head Maritime Systems, Support Commander Australia – Navy
	—	—		Commander Joint Health Command and Surgeon General of the Australian Defence Force
	1950	2012		Surgeon General Defence Health Reserves, Surgeon General of the Australian Defence Force
+	1899	1991
	1934	—		Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Maritime Commander Australia, Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy
	1954	—		Judge Advocate General of the Australian Defence Force
*	—	—		Commander Australian Fleet, Deputy Chief of Navy
	1950	—		Maritime Commander Australia, Deputy Chief of Navy
*	—	—		Commander Maritime Border Command and Commander Operation Sovereign Borders, Deputy Director Maritime Operations, United States Pacific Fleet
	—	—		Head Navy Future Infrastructure
	1927	2015		Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
	1876	1957		Captain Superintendent of Naval Establishments and Captain-in-Charge, New South Wales
	1941	—		Assistant Chief of the Defence Force, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff
	1926	—		Controller of Establishments, Director-General of the Natural Disasters Organisation
	1959	—		Commander Joint Logistics
	1956	—		Deputy Chief of Navy, Commander Joint Education, Training and Warfare, Commander Australian Defence College, Commander Australian Flett, Maritime Commander Australia
	1857	1919		Director of Auxiliary Forces
	1927	2012		Director-General Naval Health Services
	1905	1974		Third Naval Member and Chief of Construction
	—	—		Head Navy Engineering
	1961	—		Deputy Chief of Navy
	1930	2020		Head of Australian Defence Staff – London, Flag Officer Naval Support Command
	1959	—		Commander Joint Health and Surgeon General of the Australian Defence Force
	1918	1983		Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Commander ANZUK, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Flag Officer-in-Charge East Australia Area
	1934	—		Chief of Naval Material
	1926	1997		Chief of Naval Personnel, Chief of Naval Operational Requirements and Plans
	1892	1968		Third Naval Member and Chief of Construction, Engineer Manager of Garden Island Dockyard
*	—	—		Head of the Afghanistan Inquiry Response Task Force, Head Reserve and Youth Division and Commander Australian Defence Force Cadets, Head People Capability
	1930	2006		Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Naval Operational Requirements and Plans