Commander Christopher Smith

Commander Chris Smith, RAN joined the Royal Australian Navy in 2001 and graduated from RAAF Flying training in 2003 before commencing RAN Rotary Wing Training and completing operational flying training on the S-70B-2 Seahawk.

 

As a Flight Pilot, he was posted to a number of HMA ships, including Parramatta, Canberra, Warramunga, Darwin and Melbourne, where he gained experience in a broad range of naval exercises and operations, including deployments to Operation RELEX II and Operation CATALYST.

 

Upon completing these postings, Commander Smith served as Flag Lieutenant to Commander Australian Fleet.

 

Commander Smith served as an S-70B-2 Flight Commander in HMAS Darwin in 2013-15, which included an operational deployment to Operation MANITOU. Following this position, Commander Smith was posted to the Australian Operational Headquarters in CJTF 633 as the J33 and was further posted as the NATO Chief of Operations (CHOPS) in HQ RESOLUTE SUPPORT in Kabul, Afghanistan.

 

Commander Smith completed the role of Executive Officer of 723 Squadron (Navy / Army Ab-Initio Training) from 2016-2018. Before completing Australian Command and Staff Course in 2019 and subsequently being promoted and posted to Chief of Staff to HQFAA. Commander Smith completed MH-60R Seahawk training with the United States Navy in 2022, prior to assuming Command of 808 Squadron in July 2022.