The Chief of Defence Force (CDF) is the appointment held by the professional head of the

New Zealand Defence Force The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF; mi, Te Ope Kātua o Aotearoa, "Line of Defence of New Zealand") are the armed forces of New Zealand. The NZDF is responsible for the protection of the national security of New Zealand and her realm, prom ...

. The post has existed under its present name since 1991. From 1963 to 1991 the head of the New Zealand Defence Force was known as the Chief of Defence Staff. All the incumbents have held

three-star rank An officer of three-star rank is a senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO code of OF-8. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members. Typically, three-star officers hold the ...

. The current Chief of Defence Force is Air Marshal Kevin Short.

Role

The CDF is the professional head of the defence forces and serves as the principal military advisor to the government. They are responsible for directing the chiefs of service and ensuring morale. The CDF also serves as the chief executive of the defence force, thereby being the person with sole accountability to the government and people of New Zealand.

Appointees

The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Chief of Defence Force or its preceding positions, with rank and honours as at the completion of the individual's term. , -style="text-align:center;" , colspan=7, Chief of Defence Staff , -style="text-align:center;" , colspan=7, Chief of Defence Force

References

{{Chief of military by country

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...