Air Chief Marshal (Australia) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Air chief marshal is the highest active rank of 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 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...

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

rank of air chief marshal. It is also considered a four-star rank. 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 an Air Force officer.

Air chief marshal is a higher rank than air marshal

Air Marshal (Australia)

Air marshal is the second highest active rank of the Royal Australian Air Force and was created as a direct equivalent of the British Royal Air Force rank of air marshal, it is also considered a three-star rank...

and is a lower rank than Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force, which has only ever been awarded as an honorary rank. Air chief marshal is a direct equivalent of admiral

Admiral (Australia)

Admiral is the highest active rank of the Royal Australian Navy and was created as a direct equivalent of the British 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 is a Navy officer.Admiral is a...

in 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 general

General (Australia)

General is the second highest rank, and the highest active rank, of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of General; it is also considered a four-star rank....

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...

.

The insignia is three light blue bands (each on a slightly wider black band) over a light blue band on a black broad band.

Australian Air Chief Marshals

With the establishment of the Australian Air Board on 9 November 1920, Australian Air Corps officers dropped their army ranks in favour of those based on the Royal Air Force. However, it was not until 1965 when Sir Frederick Scherger

Frederick Scherger

Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rudolph William Scherger KBE, CB, DSO, AFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force...

became Chairman of the Australian Chiefs of Staff Committee, and was promoted to Air Chief Marshal that an RAAF officer attained the rank. Throughout the history of the RAAF, only three of its officers have held the rank. Apart from Scherger, they are Sir Neville McNamara

Neville McNamara

Air Chief Marshal Sir Neville Patrick McNamara KBE, AO, AFC, AE is a retired senior commander of the Royal Australian Air Force . He served as Chief of the Air Staff , the RAAF's highest-ranking position, from 1979 until 1982, and as Chief of the Defence Force Staff , Australia's top military role...

(in 1982) and Angus Houston

Angus Houston

Air Chief Marshal Allan Grant "Angus" Houston AC, AFC is a retired senior commander of the Royal Australian Air Force and was the Chief of the Defence Force from 4 July 2005 until his retirement on 3 July 2011...

, the current Chief of the Australian Defence Force. Sir Charles Burnett

Charles Burnett (RAF officer)

Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Stuart Burnett KCB, CBE, DSO was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the first half of the 20th century. During the Second World War, he served as Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Australian Air Force.-Early life:Charles Burnett was born in Browns...

, the RAAF Chief of the Air Staff during World War II, held the rank but he was an RAF officer on loan service.

Name	Postnominals	Promoted	Retired
Sir Frederick Scherger Frederick Scherger Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rudolph William Scherger KBE, CB, DSO, AFC was a senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force...	KBE CB DSO AFC Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...	1961	18 May 1966
Sir Neville McNamara Neville McNamara Air Chief Marshal Sir Neville Patrick McNamara KBE, AO, AFC, AE is a retired senior commander of the Royal Australian Air Force . He served as Chief of the Air Staff , the RAAF's highest-ranking position, from 1979 until 1982, and as Chief of the Defence Force Staff , Australia's top military role...	KBE AO AFC AE Air Efficiency Award The Air Efficiency award, abbreviated to AE when placed after a holder's name, was a United Kingdom honour given for ten years' efficient service in the Reserve Air Forces of the United Kingdom, Commonwealth and Empire. Unlike other long service and meritorious conduct awards, both officers and...	1982	1984
Angus Houston Angus Houston Air Chief Marshal Allan Grant "Angus" Houston AC, AFC is a retired senior commander of the Royal Australian Air Force and was the Chief of the Defence Force from 4 July 2005 until his retirement on 3 July 2011...	AC AFC	2005	3 July 2011

Australian Air Chief Marshals

See also