# Deputy Chief of Navy (Australia)

The Deputy Chief of Navy (DCN) is the second most senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy, responsible to the Chief of Navy (CN). The rank associated with the position is rear admiral (2-star).

## Appointees

The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Deputy Chief of Navy or its preceding positions. Rank and honours are as at the completion of the individual's tours.
| Rank | Name | Postnominal(s) | Term began | Term ended | Notes |
| Deputy Chief of Naval Staff ||||||
| Captain | Frank Getting | | 1940 | 1942 | |
| Captain | Roy Dowling | | September 1943 | 1944 | |
| Captain | David Harries | | 1944 | 1945 | |
| Captain | Herbert Buchanan | DSO | October 1945 | 1946 | |
| Captain | Henry Burrell | | October 1946 | October 1948 | |
| Captain | Galfry Gatacre | DSC & Bar | October 1948 | 1951 | |
| Captain | Alan McNicoll | GM | October 1951 | 1952 | |
| Captain | Otto Becher | DSO, DSC & Bar | 1952 | 1954 | |
| Captain | Henry Burrell | | 1954 | 1954 | |
| Rear Admiral | Jack Mesley | LVO, DSC | 1955 | 1957 | |
| Rear Admiral | Galfry Gatacre | DSO, DSC & Bar | January 1957 | January 1959 | |
| Rear Admiral | Otto Becher | CBE, DSO, DSC & Bar | January 1959 | 1962 | |
| Rear Admiral | Thomas Morrison | CBE, DSC | 1962 | 1964 | |
| Rear Admiral | Richard Peek | OBE, DSC | 1965 | 1967 | |
| Rear Admiral | Victor Smith | CBE, DSC | 1967 | April 1968 | |
| Rear Admiral | David Stevenson | CBE | 1968 | 1970 | |
| Rear Admiral | David Wells | CBE | 1970 | 1971 | |
| Rear Admiral | Anthony Synnot | CBE | 1972 | 1973 | |
| Rear Admiral | William Dovers | CBE, DSC | 1973 | 1975 | |
| Rear Admiral | Geoffrey Gladstone | AO, DSC & Bar | 1974 | 1975 | |
| Rear Admiral | Brian Murray | | 1975 | 1978 | |
| Rear Admiral | Neil McDonald | AO | 1978 | 1979 | |
| Rear Admiral | John Stevens | | 1979 | 1981 | |
| Rear Admiral | Peter Doyle | AO, OBE | 1981 | 1982 | |
| Rear Admiral | Geoffrey Woolrych | AO | 1982 | 1983 | |
| Rear Admiral | Ian Richards | AO | 1983 | 1984 | |
| Rear Admiral | Ian Knox | | 1984 | 1984 | |
| Rear Admiral | Neil Ralph | AO, DSC | 1985 | 1989 | |
| Rear Admiral | Peter Sinclair | AO | 1989 | 1989 | |
| Rear Admiral | Ken Doolan | | 1989 | 1990 | |
| Rear Admiral | Ian MacDougall | | July 1990 | March 1991 | |
| Rear Admiral | Robert Walls | AM | 1991 | 1991 | |
| Rear Admiral | Rodney Taylor | AO | November 1991 | 1994 | |
| Rear Admiral | David Campbell | AM | 1994 | 1995 | |
| Rear Admiral | Chris Barrie | AO | May 1996 | June 1997 | |
| Deputy Chief of Navy ||||||
| Rear Admiral | Chris Oxenbould | AO | 1997 | 1999 | |
| Rear Admiral | Chris Ritchie | AO | 1999 | 1999 | |
| Rear Admiral | Geoffrey Smith | AM | 1999 | 2000 | |
| Rear Admiral | Brian Adams | AM | June 2000 | June 2002 | |
| Rear Admiral | Rowan Moffitt | AM | June 2002 | June 2004 | |
| Rear Admiral | Max Hancock | AM | June 2004 | June 2006 | |
| Rear Admiral | Russ Crane | AM, CSM | June 2006 | June 2008 | |
| Rear Admiral | Davyd Thomas | AO, CSC | June 2008 | February 2011 | |
| Rear Admiral | Trevor Jones | AM, CSC | February 2011 | 2013 | |
| Rear Admiral | Michael van Balen | AO | 2013 | 28 January 2016 | |
| Rear Admiral | Michael Noonan | AM | 28 January 2016 | 23 March 2018 | |
| Rear Admiral | Mark Hammond | AM | 23 March 2018 | 11 September 2020 | |
| Rear Admiral | Christopher Smith | CSM | 11 September 2020 | 16 December 2022 | |
| Rear Admiral | Jonathan Earley | CSC | 16 December 2022 | 28 June 2024 | |
| Commodore | Eric Young | CSC | 28 June 2024 | 24 January 2025 | (Acting) |
| Rear Admiral | Matt Buckley | AM CSC | 24 January 2025 | Incumbent | |