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The Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) is the most senior appointment in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister of Defence, and is notionally coequal with the Secretary of Defence, the most senior public servant in the Department of Defence.

It is a fixed term appointment of three years, and is ideally rotated between the three services (Navy, Army and Air Force). However in practice this has not been the case: in the past 18 appointments, 10 have been from the Army, 5 from the Navy and only 3 from the Air Force.

During peacetime, the CDF is the only four-star officer in the ADF (Admiral (ADM), General (GEN), or Air Chief Marshal (ACM)). He is assisted by the Vice Chief of the Defence Force and the individual service chiefs: (Chief of Navy, Chief of Army and Chief of Air Force), all of whom are three-star officers (Vice Admiral (VADM), Lieutenant General (LTGEN), or Air Marshal (AIRMSHL)).

The CDF is appointed by the Governor General on the advice of his ministers. The appointment is politically neutral, as are all military positions, and not affected by a change of government.

Prior to 1958 there was no CDF or equivalent, as the three services were run separately.

• LTGEN Sir Henry Wells KBE CB DSO (March 1958 - March 1959)
• VADM Sir Roy Dowling KBE CB DSO, RAN (March 1959 - May 1961)
• ACM Sir Frederick Scherger KBE CB DSO AFC (May 1961 - May 1966)
• GEN Sir John Wilton KBE CB DSO (May 1966 - November 1970)
• ADM Sir Victor Smith AC KBE CB DSC, RAN (November 1970 - November 1975)
• GEN Sir Francis Hassett AC CB CBE DSO LVO (November 1975 -February 1976)

• GEN Sir Francis Hassett AC KBE CB DSO LVO (February 1976 - April 1977)
• GEN Sir Arthur MacDonald KBE CB (April 1977 - April 1979)
• ADM Sir Anthony Synnot KBE AO, RAN (April 1979 - April 1982)
• ACM Sir Neville McNamara KBE AO AFC AE (April 1982 - April 1984)
• GEN Sir Phillip Bennett KBE AO DSO (April 1984 - October 1984)

• GEN Sir Phillip Bennett AC KBE DSO (October 1984 - April 1987)
• GEN Peter Gration AC OBE (April 1987 - April 1993)
• ADM Alan Beaumont AC, RAN (April 1993 - July 1995)
• GEN John Baker AC DSM (July 1995 - July 1998)
• ADM Chris Barrie AC, RAN (July 1998 - July 2002)
• GEN Peter Cosgrove AC MC (July 2002 - July 2005)
• ACM Angus Houston AO AFC (July 2005 - present)