Australian Army To Be Led By A Lady For The First Time.

Sydney; April 2026: Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, the current chief ‌of joint capabilities, will become Australia’s Chief of Army in July 2026, making her the First Australian Women to lead the Australian Army. She will replace Lieutenant General Simon Stuart.

Coyle’s appointment comes as Australia’s military seeks to ​boost the number of female officers in its ranks. It ​faces a wave of allegations of systematic sexual harassment and discrimination.

“From ⁠July, we will have the first ever female Chief Of Army ​in the Australian Army’s 125-year history”, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a ​statement.

Defence Minister Richard Marles called Coyle’s appointment a “deeply historic moment. As Susan said to me, you cannot be what you cannot see. Susan’s achievement will be deeply significant ​to women who are serving in the Australian Defence Force today and ​women who are thinking about serving in the Australian Defence Force in the future”.

Coyle, ‌55, ⁠enlisted in the military in 1987 and has held a number of senior command roles. She will be the first woman to lead any service branch of the military, Defence Minister Marles said.

Women currently make up around 21% of ​the Australian Defence ​Force (ADF) and 18.5% ⁠of senior leadership roles. The ADF has set a target of 25% of overall participation for women by 2030.

Last October, ​a class action lawsuit was filed against the ADF alleging ​it failed ⁠to protect thousands of female officers from systematic sexual assault, harassment and discrimination.

The government today also appointed Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, the Current Chief ⁠Of ​The Navy, as the head of the ADF, succeeding ​Admiral David Johnston. The current Deputy Chief Of Navy, Rear Admiral Matthew Buckley, will replace Hammond as ​head of the branch.

Team Maverick.