Only the five-star rank of Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force is higher, but it has been held in only a ceremonial capacity.
As there are currently no appointments in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) at the five-star level, there is no prospect of a RAAF officer achieving the rank in a professional (i.e. non-ceremonial) capacity.
[14] The list of RAAF air vice-marshals includes Frank McNamara, the first Australian aviator to be decorated with the Victoria Cross (VC).
On promotion to air vice-marshal in 2003, Julie Hammer became the first woman to achieve two-star rank in the ADF.
[16][17] Hammer has since been joined by Margaret Staib (2010),[18] Tracy Smart (2015), Cath Roberts (2016), Barbara Courtney (2021), Wendy Blyth (2022), and Dianne Turton (2024).