Susan Coyle will become the first woman to lead the army in 125 years as the military aims for one in four personnel to be women by 2030
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenReutersPublished: 12:40pm, 13 Apr 2026Australia said on Monday that a woman would lead its army for the first time in history, as part of a reshuffle of the country’s defence force leadership.Lieutenant General Susan Coyle, the current chief of joint capabilities, will become chief of army in July, the government said in a statement. She will replace Lieutenant General Simon Stuart.
Coyle’s appointment comes as Australia’s military seeks to boost the number of female officers in its ranks. It faces a wave of allegations of systematic sexual harassment and discrimination.
As Susan said to me, you cannot be what you cannot seeAustralia’s Defence Minister Richard MarlesDefence Minister Richard Marles called Coyle’s appointment a “deeply historic moment”.
