ADF grows to largest in 25 years

Minister for Defence Personnel Matt Keogh says more Australians are choosing to join and stay in the Australian Defence Force as the government continues to invest in defence recruitment and retention. 

FILE PHOTO (December 2025): Graduates of the New Entry Officer Course 76 toss their caps in the air in celebration at end of their graduation parade at the Royal Australian Naval College, HMAS Creswell. Photo by Leading Seama Susan Mossop.

In the 2025-26 financial year, the ADF grew to its largest size in 25 years:

• ADF enlisted more than 8100 personnel, the highest intake in 16 years
• the full-time workforce exceeds 64,000 personnel 
• the separation rate was 7.4%, the lowest in 15 years

Mr Keogh said recruitment growth had been recorded across all three services, with the Navy achieving its highest intake in 16 years, Army its highest intake in 12 years and RAAF its highest intake in 24 years.

“Since 2022, the government has invested more than $1 billion to grow the Defence workforce after inheriting declining recruitment and retention rates,” Mr Keogh said.

“These investments are continuing to deliver results.

“The Continuation Bonus and its subsequent extension have been implemented, in addition to improved processes to enable faster recruitment by identifying skill gaps and addressing them quickly – improvements to Defence Benefits and Conditions of Service to help retain the skilled workforce – and, a widening of eligibility criteria so that more people can join the ADF, have contributed to the growth. 

“As at 1 July 2026, there are more than 61,000 permanent members of the ADF alongside more than 900 Gap Year participants and almost 1500 full-time Reservists.

“Together these numbers represent an increase of more than 3000 full-time personnel since last year, taking the total ADF headcount to more than 64,000.”

Minister Keogh said Australians continued to put their hands up to serve, with Defence receiving almost 74,000 applications in the 2025-26 financial year.

“The ADF is on track to meet the government’s target of 69,000 permanent Average Funded Strength by the early 2030s – a key workforce objective reaffirmed in the 2026 National Defence Strategy, which provides a credible and budgeted pathway to grow the Defence workforce. 

“While more work remains, these results highlight significant progress in attracting and retaining the skilled workforce required to build the future Australian Defence Force.”

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