The Royal Australian Air Force badge features the Australian wedgetailed eagle (Aquila audax, Australia’s largest bird of prey) in full flight, wings outstretched. The eagle is set on a white circle, surrounded by a deep blue ring edged in gold. Within the blue ring, a sprig of Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha), Australia’s national floral emblem, divides the words “Royal Australian Air Force”, which are inscribed in gold.  

Above the eagle sits the Tudor Crown from the cypher of His Majesty King Charles III. Beneath the circular charge is a gold and red scroll emblazoned with the motto PER ARDUA AD ASTRA which translates as THROUGH ADVERSITY TO THE STARS. 

The current pattern, known as the CIIIR pattern, was approved by the Chief of Air Force with effect from 1 August 2025. 

Current Pattern

Former Patterns

Badge Nomenclature

There are three approved patterns of the Royal Australian Air Force Badge, with each reflecting a different period in Air Force history and named for the sovereign of the day: 

The CIIIR pattern is the approved pattern for all uses from 1 August 2025, except where an earlier pattern is more appropriate to the proposed use.

Unit badges are being updated over time to reflect the accession of His Majesty King Charles III. This ensures Air Force insignia remains current, consistent with Royal protocol, and reflective of Australia’s relationship with the Crown. 

Changes introduced in the CIIIR pattern

The primary changes involve: 

• replacement of the St Edward’s Crown featured in the EIIR Royal Cypher (Elizabeth II Regina) with the Tudor Crown featured in the CIIIR Royal Cypher (Charles III Rex) 
• redrawing of the badge as digital by design, rather than hand drawn by the United Kingdom College of Arms. This includes, for the first time, symmetry in all aspects of the design that are intended to be symmetrical. 
• redrawing of the sprig of Golden Wattle (Acacia pycnantha), correcting an inaccurate rendition of Australia's national floral emblem in the original College of Arms drawing from 1939. The reference for the 2025 redrawing is the sprig of Golden Wattle in the Governor General's Cypher. 
• selection of a typeface reminiscent of the original hand drawn typeface. Perpetua was designed in the UK in 1925, and was modelled after the characteristic chiseled quality of monumental engraving. It is contemporaneous with the drawing of the badge, and would have been familiar to its creator, John Heaton-Armstrong.

Implementation 

The CIIIR pattern should be used for all representations of service except where an earlier pattern would be more appropriate to the proposed use.

The GVIR and EIIR patterns remain approved representations of the Royal Australian Air Force Badge with no requirement to update existing uses to reflect the current pattern. 

Digital representations may be updated as needed, while physical instances should be replaced only as required, as part of routine maintenance and renewal cycles. 

Read more: Defence emblems reflect new reign