Commander Australian Fleet (COMAUSFLT), also referred to as Fleet Commander, is a senior appointment in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). COMAUSFLT is responsible to Chief of Navy for the force generation of fleet units and maintenance and support of ships, aircraft and other equipment.
Rear Admiral Chris Smith
Key appointments
Commander Australian Fleet (2022 - present)
Deputy Chief of Navy (2020 - 2022)
Biography
Rear Admiral Chris Smith AM CSM RAN assumed the role of Commander Australian Fleet on 16 December 2022.
Rear Admiral Smith joined the Royal Australian Naval College in 1989. His seagoing appointments have included HMA Ships Stalwart, Parramatta (III), Brunei, Perth (II), Ipswich, Geraldton, Canberra (II), Anzac and Command of HMA Ships Gladstone, Darwin and Canberra (III). His shore appointments have included Staff Officer to the Chief of Defence, Deputy Director of Sailors’ Career Management, Director Navy Warfare Professional Requirements, 2015 Force Structure Review Team, Commander Surface Force, Director General Littoral and Deputy Chief of Navy.
His operational experience has included domestic Operations CRANBERRY and RELEX, regional deployments to Operations TREK (Solomon Islands) in 2000, ANODE (Regional Assistance Mission Solomon Islands) as the Commanding Officer Gladstone in 2003, and Operation FIJI ASSIST the inaugural landing helicopter dock (LHD) operational deployment as Commanding Officer Canberra III in 2016. Rear Admiral Smith deployed to Operation CATALYST/SLIPPER as the Australian Liaison Officer to the US Central Command Forward Headquarters in 2008.
Rear Admiral Smith attended the Australian Command and Staff Course in 2004 and the US Naval War College (NCC) in 2013 where he was awarded the RADM Joseph C. Strasser International Leadership Prize (NCC). He holds a Master of Management in Defence Studies, a Master in Maritime Studies, Master of Arts (International Relations) and has attended the USN Strategic Studies Course at the Darden Business School (University of Virginia), Executive Development Program at the Wharton Business School (University of Pennsylvania) and Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School (Harvard University).