Rear Admiral Brett Sonter, Royal Australian Navy, joined the U.S. Pacific Fleet staff as Deputy Director, Maritime Operations, in January 2022.

RADM Sonter was born in Sydney and joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1990. After three years at the Australian Defence Force Academy, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of New South Wales. He also holds a Master of Arts (Strategy and Policy) from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Science (Strategy) from the U.S. National Defense University.

His career as a Surface Warfare Officer includes postings in Her Majesty’s Australian (HMA) Ships Newcastle, Stuart, and Darwin as the Executive Officer. Highlights of his time at sea have been his Commands of HMA Ships Ballarat, Stuart and Anzac, and as the Commander of the Australian Amphibious Task Group; the later assignment resulting in him being appointed as the Commander of Joint Task Force 635 tasked with providing HADR to Fiji following Tropical Cyclone Winston.

His shore postings to date include: a Divisional Officer at the Australian Defence Force Academy; Headquarters Joint Operations Command; the Assistant Director Naval Officers’ Postings; in the Middle-East team within Military Strategic Commitments; the Director of Maritime Operations; the Deputy Commodore of Warfare in Fleet Headquarters, the Director General Military Strategy in Strategic Policy Division, and most recently as the Chief of Staff to Headquarters Joint Operations Command.

He is a graduate of the U.S. National War College and the Harvard Kennedy School.

Last Updated: 28 January 2022