The ADF Tri-Service Flag
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Country | Australia |
Name | Australian Defence Force |
Caption | The ADF Tri-Service Flag |
Caption2 | The ADF Tri-Service Badge |
Founded | 1901 |
Current Form | 1976 (ADF established) |
Branches | Royal Australian Navy Australian Army Royal Australian Air Force |
Headquarters | Part of the Australian Defence Organisation |
Commander-in-chief | Governor-General Quentin Bryce as Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia's representative |
Minister | Stephen Smith |
Minister Title | Minister for Defence |
Commander | Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston AC, AFC |
Commander Title | Chief of the Defence Force |
Chief Of Staff | Lieutenant General David Hurley, AC, DSC (CDF Designate) |
Age | 16.5 years of age for selection process, 17 years of age is actual serving age (As of 2007) |
Manpower Data | 2009 est. |
Manpower Age | 16 � 49 |
Available | 4,999,988 |
Available F | 4,870,043 |
Fit | 4,341,591 |
Fit F | 4,179,659 |
Reaching | 144,959 |
Reaching F | 137,333 |
Active | 57,697 |
Ranked | 68 |
Reserve | 21,248 (Active) 22,166 (Standby) |
Deployed | 3,300 (July 2010) |
Amount | (2010 � 11) |
Domestic Suppliers | BAE Systems Australia Thales Australia |
Foreign Suppliers | 1. United States 2. Canada 3. United Kingdom |
Exports | Confidential but thought to be around A$600 million. |
History | Military history of Australia |
Ranks | Australian Defence Force ranks and insignia |
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The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy, the Australian Army, the Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units.
During the first decades of the 20th century, the Australian Government established three separate armed services. Each service had 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 is technologically sophisticated but relatively small. Although the ADF's 57,697 full-time active-duty personnel, 21,248 active reserves and 22,166 standby reserves make it the largest military in Oceania, it is still smaller than most Asian militaries. Nonetheless, the ADF is supported by a significant budget by worldwide standards and is able to deploy forces in multiple locations outside Australia.
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