Australian Defence Force
| Australian Defence Force | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1 March 1901 (as the Australian Army and Commonwealth Naval Force) |
| Current form | 9 February 1976 (as the unified Australian Defence Force) |
| Service branches | |
| Headquarters | Russell Offices and Campbell Park, Canberra, ACT |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Charles III, King of Australia Represented by Sam Mostyn, Governor General of Australia |
| Prime Minister | Anthony Albanese |
| Minister for Defence | Richard Marles |
| Chief of the Defence Force | Admiral David Johnston |
| Personnel | |
| Military age |
|
| Conscription | Wartime only |
| Active personnel | 58,909 (30 June 2025) |
| Reserve personnel | 33,269 (30 June 2025) |
| Expenditure | |
| Budget | A$55.7 billion (2024–25) (~US$36.8 billion) (ranked 13th) |
| Percent of GDP | 2.02% (2024/25) |
| Industry | |
| Domestic suppliers | Defence industry of Australia |
| Annual exports | Around A$2 billion (2018) |
| Related articles | |
| History | Military history of Australia |
| Ranks | Australian Defence Force ranks and insignia |
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three services: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the Australian Army and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The ADF has a strength of just over 90,000 personnel and is supported by the Department of Defence alongside other civilian entities also members of the Australian Defence Organisation.
During the first decades of the 20th century, the Australian Government established the armed services as separate organisations, with each service having an independent chain of command. In 1976, the government made a strategic change and established the ADF to place the services under a single headquarters. Over time, the degree of integration has increased, and tri-service headquarters, logistics, and training institutions have supplanted many single-service establishments. The ADF has been deployed around the world in combat, peacekeeping and disaster-relief missions.
The ADF is technologically sophisticated but relatively small for its landmass. The ADF has 58,909 full-time active-duty personnel and 33,269 active reservists. The ADF has the largest military in Oceania, although it is smaller than most Asian military forces. The ADF is supported by a significant budget by worldwide standards and is well equipped and trained, with defence spending at 2.02% of GDP.