Deputy Chief of Air Force (Australia)

Deputy Chief of Air Force
since August 2023
StyleAir Vice Marshal
Member ofAustralian Defence Force
Reports toChief of Air Force
Inaugural holderAir Commodore
William Bostock
Formation1939

Deputy Chief of Air Force (DCAF) is the second most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Air Force, responsible to the Chief of Air Force (CAF). Before 1997 the position was entitled Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (DCAS). The rank associated with the position is air vice marshal (two-star). DCAF acts as the manager of the Air Force Headquarters (AFHQ), which provides oversight of activities in the raising, training and sustaining of assigned RAAF capabilities. The position provides strategic leadership to the RAAF as a whole, as well as policy guidance in regard to Air Force activities to the rest of the Defence organisation and Government.[1] The current Deputy Chief of Air Force is Air Vice Marshal Harvey Reynolds.

Appointees

The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Deputy Chief of Air Force or its preceding position of Deputy Chief of the Air Staff. The rank and honours are as at the completion of the commander's term.[2][3][4][5]

Rank Name Post-
Nominals		 Term began Term ended
Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
Air Commodore William Bostock OBE 1939 1941
Air Commodore John McCauley CBE 1942 1944
Air Commodore Frank Bladin CBE 1944 1946
Air Commodore John McCauley CBE 1946 1947
Air Commodore Frederick Scherger CBE, DSO, AFC 1947 1951
Air Vice Marshal Valston Hancock OBE, DFC 1951 1952
Air Vice Marshal William Hely CBE, AFC 1953 1955
Air Vice Marshal Douglas Candy CBE 1956 1958
Air Vice Marshal Alister Murdoch CBE 1958 1959
Air Vice Marshal Ian McLachlan CBE, DFC 1959 1961
Air Vice Marshal Colin Hannah CB, CBE 1961 1965
Air Vice Marshal Frank Headlam CB, CBE 1965 1966
Air Vice Marshal Brian Eaton CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC 1966 1967
Air Vice Marshal William Townsend CBE 1967 1969
Air Vice Marshal Charles Read CBE, DFC, AFC 1970 1972
Air Vice Marshal Geoffrey Newstead CBE 1972 1973
Air Vice Marshal Frederick Robey CBE 1973 1974
Air Vice Marshal Douglas Hurditch CBE 1974 1975
Air Vice Marshal Neville McNamara AO, CBE, AFC 1975 1979
Air Vice Marshal Frederick Barnes AO, DFC, AFC 1979 1981
Air Vice Marshal Henry Hughes AO, DFC 1981 1983
Air Vice Marshal John Newham AO 1983 1985
Air Vice Marshal Billie Collings AO, AFC 1985 1987
Air Vice Marshal Richard Bradford AO 1987 1990
Air Vice Marshal Edward Radford AO 1990 1990
Air Vice Marshal Thomas O'Brien AO, AFC 1990 1993
Air Vice Marshal Les Fisher AO 1993 1994
Air Vice Marshal David Rogers AM 1994 1997
Deputy Chief of Air Force
Air Vice Marshal Robert Richardson AO, AFC 1997 1997
Air Vice Marshal Errol McCormack AM 1997 1998
Air Vice Marshal Brent Espeland AM 1998 1999
Air Vice Marshal Alan Titheridge AO 1999 2001
Air Vice Marshal Christopher Spence AO 2001 2004
Air Vice Marshal Roxley McLennan AM 2004 2005
Air Vice Marshal John Blackburn AO 2005 2008
Air Vice Marshal Geoff Brown AM 2008 2011
Air Vice Marshal Neil Hart AM 2011 2012
Air Vice Marshal Leo Davies AO, CSC 2012 2015
Air Vice Marshal Warren McDonald AM, CSC 2015 2017
Air Vice Marshal Gavin Turnbull AM 2017 2019
Air Vice Marshal Stephen Meredith AM, DSM 2019 2023
Air Vice Marshal Glen Braz AM, CSC, DSM 2023 2023
Air Vice Marshal Harvey Reynolds AM 2023 Incumbent

References

  1. ^ RAAF AFHQ Official website. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
  2. ^ "Air Chief Marshals". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Archived from the original on 25 May 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  3. ^ "Air Marshals". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Archived from the original on 1 June 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  4. ^ "Air Vice Marshals A–K". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  5. ^ "Air Vice Marshals L–Z". Air Marshals of the RAAF. Royal Australian Air Force Air Power Development Centre. Retrieved 17 May 2011.