See Admiral

Admiral

Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...

 for other countries which use this rank

Admiral (ADML) is the highest active rank of the Royal Australian Navy

Royal Australian Navy

The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...

 and was created as a direct equivalent of the British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 Navy rank of Admiral. It is a four-star rank. Since World War II, in general, the only time the rank is held is when the Chief of the Defence Force

Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)

Chief of the Defence Force is the most senior appointment in the Australian Defence Force . The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister of Defence, in a coequal arrangement with the Secretary of Defence, the most senior public servant in the Department of Defence.The position is a...

 is a Navy officer.

Admiral is a higher rank than Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral (Australia)

Vice admiral is the second-highest active rank of the Royal Australian Navy and was created as a direct equivalent of the British rank of vice admiral. It is a three-star rank...

, but is a lower rank than Admiral of the Fleet

Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Australian Navy)

Admiral of the Fleet is the highest rank in the Royal Australian Navy, but is a ceremonial, not active or operational, rank. It equates to the rank code O-11. Equivalent ranks in the other services are Field Marshal and Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force...

. Admiral is the equivalent of Air Chief Marshal in the Royal Australian Air Force

Royal Australian Air Force

The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...

 and General in the Australian Army

Australian Army

The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...

.

Australian Admirals

• Admiral Sir George Hyde KCB CVO CBE RAN
  Royal Australian Navy
  The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
  
   (1936)
• Admiral Sir Louis Keppel Hamilton
  Louis Keppel Hamilton
  Admiral Sir Louis Henry Keppel Hamilton KCB, DSO was a senior Royal Navy officer who was Flag Officer in Malta and later served as First Naval Member & Chief of Staff of the Royal Australian Navy. During his early career he was generally known as L. H...
  
   KCB DSO RAN (prior to 1948)
• Admiral Sir Victor Smith
  Victor Smith
  Admiral Sir Victor Alfred Trumper Smith AC, KBE, CB, DSC, RAN was a senior officer within the Royal Australian Navy, eventually becoming the first Australian to achieve the rank of admiral and serving as Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee; the professional head of the Australian Military.-Early...
  
   AC KBE CB DSC
  Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
  The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
  
   RAN (1970)
• Admiral Sir Anthony Synnot
  Anthony Synnot
  Admiral Sir Anthony Monckton Synnot KBE, AO was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy, who between 1979 and 1982 served as Chief of the Defence Force Staff.-Early life:...
  
   KBE AO RAN (1979)
• Admiral Michael Hudson AC RAN (1991)
• Admiral Alan Beaumont
  Alan Beaumont
  Admiral Alan Lee Beaumont, AC was a senior officer within the Royal Australian Navy, eventually serving as Chief of the Australian Defence Force from 1993 until 1995.-Early life:...
  
   AC RAN (1993)
• Admiral Chris Barrie
  Chris Barrie (Admiral)
  Admiral Christopher Alexander "Chris" Barrie AC 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.-Naval career:...
  
   AC RAN (1998)

Rank insignia and personal flag

The current ranks are Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral and Admiral of the Fleet, also known as flag ranks because admirals, known as Flag Officer

Flag Officer

A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...

s, are entitled to fly a personal flag. An Admiral of the Fleet flies a national flag

Flag of Australia

The flag of Australia is a defaced Blue Ensign: a blue field with the Union Flag in the canton , and a large white seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter...

 at the masthead, while an Admiral flies a St George's cross

St George's Cross

St George's Cross is a red cross on a white background used as a symbolic reference to Saint George. The red cross on white was associated with St George from medieval times....

 (red cross on white). Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals fly a St George’s cross with one or two red discs in the hoist, respectively. These command flags are exactly the same as in the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

, except for the Admiral of the Fleet, who flies the Union Flag

Union Flag

The Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...

.

The rank of admiral itself is shown in its sleeve lace by a broad band with three narrower bands. Since the mid 1990s, the insignia of a Royal Australian Navy Admiral is the crown of St. Edward above a crossed sword and baton, above four silver stars, above the word AUSTRALIA. Note that unlike other Commonwealth countries, the sword has a closed handle(that is, it is a naval cutlass). The stars have eight points, like the Royal Navy insignia (and unlike the four pointed Order of the Bath

Order of the Bath

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...

 stars used by the army.)

Prior to 1995, the RAN shoulder board was identical to the UK

Admiral (United Kingdom)

Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-9, outranked only by the rank Admiral of the Fleet...

shoulder board. (The UK shoulder board changed in 2001.)