Vice Admiral Jonathan Dallas Mead, was born on 3 November 1964 and is a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy.
16 Facts About Jonathan Mead
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Jonathan Mead joined the navy via the Royal Australian Naval College at HMAS Creswell in 1984, and spent his early career with the Clearance Diving Branch before training as a Principal Warfare Officer.
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Jonathan Mead served as Head of Navy Capability from 2015 to 2017, Commander Australian Fleet from 2018 to 2020, Chief of Joint Capabilities from 2020 to 2021, and was appointed Chief of the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Task Force in September 2021.
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Jonathan Dallas Mead was born in Melbourne, Victoria, on 3 November 1964 to Dallas Charles Cardiff Mead and Joan Mary Reidy.
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Jonathan Mead's father had served in the Royal Australian Air Force during the Second World War, rising to the rank of flight sergeant, while a grandfather had fought on the Western Front with the Australian Imperial Force in the First World War.
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Jonathan Mead was an active sportsman who particularly excelled at water sports.
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Jonathan Mead was commissioned a midshipman and entered the Royal Australian Naval College at HMAS Creswell for junior officer training on 16 January 1984.
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Jonathan Mead graduated from the college as a sub-lieutenant and with a Diploma of Applied Science in 1986 and undertook further training in bridge watchkeeping and clearance diving, specialising in Mine Warfare and Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
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Jonathan Mead read for a Master of Arts in International Relations at Deakin University and, later, a Master of Management at the University of Canberra.
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In 2007, Jonathan Mead completed a course of study at India's National Defence College in New Delhi and, now a captain, was appointed Australia's Defence Advisor to India, Sri Lanka and South Africa.
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Jonathan Mead returned to Australia in April 2012 as Commander Surface Force in Fleet Headquarters.
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Jonathan Mead was promoted vice admiral and appointed Chief of Joint Capabilities in November 2020.
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Jonathan Mead handed over Joint Capabilities to Lieutenant General John Frewen in September 2021 and was appointed Chief of the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Task Force, responsible for overseeing Australia's acquisition of submarines with nuclear propulsion.
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On 1 July 2023 the task force was replaced by the Australian Submarine Agency and Jonathan Mead was appointed the inaugural director-general.
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Jonathan Mead has been married to Frances since 23 May 1992.
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Jonathan Mead is a board member of the Australian National Maritime Museum and the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme.