Structure of the Australian Army

Two Bushmasters operated by the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment during an exercise in 2010

This article describes the current structure of the Australian Army. It includes the army's order of battle and the headquarters locations of major units. Members of the Australian Army also serve within joint units of the Australian Defence Force which fall outside the direct command of the Australian Army.

Overview

The Australian Army is organised into three main elements which report to the Chief of Army, the Headquarters of the 1st Division, Special Operations Command and Forces Command.[1] Headquarters 1st Division is responsible for high-level training activities and is capable of being deployed to command large scale ground operations. It does not have any combat units permanently assigned to it, though it commands units during training activities and the Land Combat Readiness Centre reports to the divisional headquarters.[2][3]

Most of the Army's units report to Forces Command, which is responsible for overseeing their readiness and preparing them for operations. This organisation came into effect during January 2011. Before this time the Army's three regular brigades were permanently assigned to the Headquarters 1st Division.[4][3]

Organisation

Australian Army organisation 2023

The following order of battle describes the Army's organisational structure at the battalion and independent company/squadron level at the end of April 2023. It does not take into account changes to units' structure and command arrangements associated with operational deployments.

Chief of Army

Forces Command

2nd Health Brigade
6th Combat Support Brigade
9th Brigade
17th Sustainment Brigade

1st (Australian) Division

1st Brigade
3rd Brigade
7th Brigade

2nd (Australian) Division

4th Brigade
5th Brigade
8th (Training) Brigade
11th Brigade
13th Brigade
Regional Force Surveillance Group

Special Operations Command

Army Aviation Command

Land Combat College

Geographic distribution

class=notpageimage|
Australian Army division and brigade headquarters 2020
(Army Reserve headquarters in Italic)

Corps and Regiments

Further information: List of Australian Army Corps and List of Australian Army regiments

Corps in the Australian Army, are administrative groupings of soldiers with a common function to promote pride and esprit de corps.[43]

See also

References

Citations
  1. ^ "The Australian Army – Modernisation from Beersheba and Beyond" (PDF). Australian Army. 26 August 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  2. ^ Australian Army (2008), pp. 5–8
  3. ^ a b International Institute for Strategic Studies (2011), p. 223
  4. ^ Australian Army (2008), pp. 5–8
  5. ^ a b c d e Australian Army (2008), p. 7
  6. ^ Burr, Burr (7 December 2021). "Chief of Army Address - Aviation Command | Army.gov.au". Australian Army. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Forces Command Raised as Adaptive Army Flies the Flag". Department of Defence. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Commands, divisions adjusted". Army. Department of Defence. 20 July 2023. p. 2. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  9. ^ "New brigade combines capability" (PDF). Army News: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1530 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. 16 March 2023. p. 9. ISSN 0729-5685. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  10. ^ Chief of Army Lt Gen Richard Burr. "Chief of Army Order of the Day - the raising of the 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th Health Battalions". Australian Army. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  11. ^ Gaze, Jillian (18 March 2010). "Key to Adaptability". Canberra: Australian Department of Defence. Australian Army. p. 5. Retrieved 20 March 2010.
  12. ^ a b Department of Defence (2011), p. 2
  13. ^ Hetherington, Andrew (2 February 2012). "Tying air and land together". Army. Canberra: Australian Department of Defence. p. 24. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g "Brigades and Formations". 2nd Division. Australian Army. Archived from the original on 15 January 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  15. ^ "HQ 9th Brigade". Australian Army. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  16. ^ Khosa (2011), p. 26
  17. ^ Flint, Clark. "17th Combat Service Support Brigade" (PDF). Australian Military Medicine Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  18. ^ "9 Force Support Battalion". Australian Army. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  19. ^ "Defence Community Organisation: Welcome to Townsville" (PDF). Department of Defence. p. 11. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  20. ^ Khosa (2011), p. 24
  21. ^ "HQ 1st Brigade". Australian Army. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  22. ^ Kennedy, Mitch; Doran, Mark (3 March 2011). "Changes in Artillery". Army. Canberra: Australian Department of Defence. p. 3. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
  23. ^ a b Khosa (2011), p. 25
  24. ^ "Defence Community Organisation: Welcome to Townsville" (PDF). Department of Defence. p. 8. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  25. ^ Department of Defence. "3RAR Arrive in Townsville". Media release. Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  26. ^ a b Khosa (2011), p. 27
  27. ^ "Signals Corps Officer : Employment Location". Defence Jobs. Department of Defence. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  28. ^ "Formation of 9th Regiment Royal Australian Artillery". Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  29. ^ "Merger a boost for division's logistics". Department of Defence. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  30. ^ "HQ 4th Brigade". Australian Army. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  31. ^ "Adelaide Universities Regiment". Australian Army. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  32. ^ "Western Australian University Regiment". Australian Army. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  33. ^ "Structure". HQ 11th Brigade. Australian Army. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  34. ^ Beurich, Sebastian (1 November 2018). "Power of three as spears go on parade" (PDF). Army. Department of Defence. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  35. ^ "RHQ". North West Mobile Force. Australian Army. Archived from the original on 17 September 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  36. ^ "Unit History". The Pilbara Regt. Archived from the original on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  37. ^ "Special Operations Command Information Booklet" (PDF). Australian Army. p. 3. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  38. ^ Burr, Burr (7 December 2021). "Chief of Army Address - Aviation Command | Army.gov.au". Australian Army. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  39. ^ Blenkin, Max (8 December 2021). "Australian Army established new Aviation Command". ADBR. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  40. ^ Department of Defence (2011), p. 3
  41. ^ "Aviator 'returns home' to Army". Department of Defence. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  42. ^ "Royal Military College of Australia". Australian Army. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  43. ^ "Organisation structure". Australian Army. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
Works consulted