If you have ever seen a military vehicle, you may have noticed their different number plates. These plates often lack a uniform appearance, and you can notice the differences upon comparing older military vehicles to newer ones. Today, we will discuss Australia`s military plates to help you understand the various formats, differences, and even some unique, notable military plates.
The Military Plates of Australia
Historically, Australian military number plates have followed an `nnn-nnn` format and a blue-on-white colour scheme. The first digit in this format represented the military district of the vehicle. They range from `1` for Queensland to `7` for Northern Territory.
This format was changed to an `Annnnn` format in 2003, and this is perhaps the most common military plate you will come across these days. This format is the same for Army, Defence Force, Air Force, and Navy, with slight differences in the starting letters.
`Annnnn` is for Army, `Dnnnnn` is for Defence Force, `Rnnnnn` is for Air Force, and `Nnnnnn` is for Navy.
The first two digits after the letter represent the year in which the vehicle was first registered. For example, a `D09218` number plate represents a Defence Force vehicle registered in 2009.
Notable Military Plates
There are also special military plates for the official cars of the service chiefs of Australia. They are:
- `ADF1` for the official car of the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF)
- `ARMY1` for the official car of the service chief of the Army
- `RAAF1` for the official car of the service chief of the Air Force
- `NAVY1` for the official car of the service chief of the Navy
All official military plates are unique to the official cars of the 4 highest-ranking military personnel of Australia. These plates cannot be replicated for any other military vehicle or rank.
Personalised Plates for Citizens
There are no special or custom plates for the rest of the military vehicles in Australia. However, there are several custom personalised plates for everyday citizens. You can have a personalised plate that suits your style and matches your ride.
These plates vary in formats and include single character plates, double character plates, and a combination of letters and numbers in long or short format.
While personalised plates are available to everyone, some rare and heritage plates are difficult to come by. They are sold at auction mostly because of their high price and demand. Some rare ones can easily fetch bids of over a million dollars.
Conclusion
Military plates are interesting, and some notable ones include the unique and exclusive plates for the official cars of the service chiefs. We may never get your hands on one of these special military plates because they are not for sale and perhaps never will be.
However, you can get unique, personalised plates easily. If you are interested in personalised plates, we strongly recommend platesales.com.au for the easiest way to find, buy, or sell Australian number plates.