Vice Admiral David Shackleton AO, RAN retired

David Shackleton joined the RAN from Adelaide in March 1966 as an 18 year old midshipman, initially on the Supplementary List of Seaman Officers. 

David had extensive sea service, including training and exchange with the Royal Navy, and a wide range shore postings concerned with naval policy, operational requirements, major and minor capital project management, as well as command and control, computers, communications and intelligence.  He commanded HMA ships Derwent and Brisbane.  On promotion to Rear Admiral in 1998 he became Head, Capability Development for Defence.  In July 1999, at age 51 he was promoted to Vice Admiral and appointed as Chief of Navy.  He retired from the RAN in July 2002, having completed 36 years of service. 

As Chief of Navy he instigated wide ranging organisational and cultural change.  In parallel, the RAN participated in East Timor’s transition to independence, conducted intensive border protection operations, continued its Persian Gulf operations, and he was in Washington in 2001 when the War on Terror effectively started.  The Year 2000 Defence White Paper initiated government recapitalisation of the RAN through its intent to replace amphibious ships and patrol boats, acquire the future Air Warfare Destroyers (Hobart class), and further modernisation of the Anzac and Perry class frigates.

Australian and US Government agreement was obtained to implement a wide ranging submarine cooperation arrangement between the USN and RAN, leading to selection of the submarine combat system and heavy weight torpedo now in service.  On David’s departure, efforts to acquire the Aegis combat system were well advanced, and which eventually came about.

David has consulted broadly in the defence industry sector and the Department of Defence, as well as previously devoting time to both junior officer development at the Australian Defence Force Academy and senior mentoring at what is now the Australian War College. 

He is a graduate of the RAN and Joint Services Staff Colleges and earned an MBA (Executive) from Monash University.  He attended the Stanford University Advanced Management Course at the National University of Singapore and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.  In 2017 he earned a Doctor of Philosophy from University of NSW (ADFA) entitled “The Impact of the Charles F. Adams Class Guided Missile Destroyers on the Royal Australian Navy.”

His service has been recognised through being made an Officer of the Order of Australia, a Commander in the United States Legion of Merit, award of the Australian Centenary Medal, award of active service medals for Vietnam service, and the National Medal.