Chief of Navy Essay Competition

CHIEF OF NAVY ESSAY COMPETITION

The Chief of Navy Essay Competition aims to promote knowledge of and interest in a thinking, fighting, Australian Navy. The competition was conducted for the first time in 2019.

This is a biennial competition. The 2025 competition is now open. 

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Australian Naval Institute (ANI) looks for original thinkers who, through their work, promote discussion about the topic and its implication for the future of the RAN.

2025 Chief of Navy Essay Competition

TOPICS

Five topics are proposed from which authors should select one:

    1. In what ways does Australia’s strength at sea contribute to prosperity at home?
    2. What are the essential features of Australian sea power? Do these constitute an identifiable or uniquely Australian form of sea power?
    3. Australia’s submarine fleet plays an important role in building a credible strategic threat and preventing others from compromising our crucial seaborne trade routes. How will the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines change the nature and character of our future submarine capability?
    4. In peacetime the Royal Australian Navy performs key roles which contribute to our national interest especially in the diplomatic realm. Over the last 125 years, outline and then evaluate the RAN’s diplomatic role in the Pacific.
    5. How would international shipping be organised and protected in the event of a global conflict and how does this differ from the protection of shipping from the German u-boat threat in the Atlantic in WWII?

There will be four (4) divisions with a prize of AUD$2,000 to be awarded to the author of an essay in each division. Honourable mentions may also be made at the discretion of the judging panel.

The four divisions are:

  1. McKenzie Prize (Open Division). Named after Honorary Flight Officer Florence Violet McKenzie and open to any domestic or international entrant.
  2. Smith Prize (Australian Defence Division). Named after ADML Sir Victor Alfred Trumper Smith and open to all members of the Department of Defence (ADF, APS, Cadets).
  3. MacDougall Prize (RAN Under 25 Division). Named after VADM Ian Donald George MacDougall and open to all members of the RAN aged 25 years or under at the closing date for submission of entries.
  4. Gaul Prize (Industry Division). Named after David Gaul and open to any employee of a company working in support of Defence in Australia

 Competition rules and full details about the competition can be found here.