The new Chief of the Defence Force will be Major General Tim Keating.
Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman says Major General Keating, who is currently the Defence vice-chief, will be promoted to Lieutenant General and take over from Lieutenant General Rhys Jones at the beginning February next year.
He will serve a term of three years.
Dr Coleman says Major General Keating is a strong, credible leader with 32 years of military experience.
He was commander of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamyan in 2005 and holds a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College in Pennsylvania.
