Captain Paul Johnson
Captain Paul Johnson was born in the United Kingdom and grew up on the South Coast of New South Wales after immigrating to Australia at a young age. He joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1992 and graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1994.
After initial Seaman Officer training in a range of platforms, he served as Officer of the Watch in HMA Ships Perth (DDG 38), Newcastle (FFG 06) and Success (AOR 304) before undertaking Principal Warfare Officer (PWO) training in 2001, specialising in both Surface Warfare and Communications.
On completion of PWO training, then Lieutenant Johnson joined HMAS Stuart (FFH 153) as Operations Officer for the ship's commissioning and initial operational deployment. He served on exchange with the Royal Navy as the Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer and Operations Officer in HMS York (D98) from 2003 until 2005. This period included promotion to Lieutenant Commander, completion of the Royal Navy’s Advanced ASW Officers Course and active service in the North Arabian Gulf under the United Kingdoms Operation TELIC.
On return to Australia Johnson served as PWO Faculty Directing Staff - Communications and Electronic Warfare and then as the Fleet ASW Officer within Sea Training Group before joining HMAS Melbourne (FFG 05) where he served as Executive Officer from late 2006 until 2008, earning a Border Protection Command Commendation for his performance during Operation RESOLUTE.
In 2008 Johnson returned to the PWO Faculty as Officer in Charge before being selected for promotion to Commander and exchange to the United States Navy. Commander Johnson served as an Experiment Director in the U.S. Navy Warfare Development Command from 2009 until 2012, earning a U.S. Meritorious Service Medal for his contribution to development of Command and Control Doctrine. On return to Australia, he joined Navy Strategic Command as the Deputy Director Underwater Warfare with responsibility for a range of future Navy programs. Commander Johnson served as Executive Officer HMAS Creswell from late 2014 until December 2016 prior to assuming command of HMAS Ballarat (FFH 155) from June 2017 until August 2019, a command which culminated in a nine month operational deployment to the Middle East in support of Operation MANITOU. Post command, Johnson served briefly as Commander Sea Training in Sea Training Group prior to being selected for promotion to Captain.
Captain Johnson holds a Masters of Business and a Bachelor of Arts (Politics and Management) from the University of New South Wales.
Captain Johnson assumed Command of the Royal Australian Navy Fleet Information Warfare Force in January 2020, with responsibility for Fleet Information Warfare capabilities spanning Communications, Cyber, Intelligence, Maritime Tactical Data Networks and Information Effects domains.
