Defence Update

The other major candidate for the job is Air Vice Marshal Hans Roser, 53, currently the Assistant Chief of the Defence Force – Personnel, who is probably best known for his important role as Director General of the Tactical Fighter Project at a crucial time in the procurement of 75 McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet fighters for the RAAF.

The strong possibility of a new GAS for the Air Force (and a new Chief of Naval Staff to replace Vice Admiral Michael Hudson) emerged recently with the announcement by the new Defence Minister, Senator Robert Ray, that the term of the GDF, General Gration, had been further extended for two years from April, 1991, to April, 1993. (Australian Aviation covered these prospects in its last issue).

In effect it is being taken as read that Admiral Hudson, who will have served six years as CNS by next April, and Funnell (four years as GAS by then) will not be given further extensions. However there is some argument that there should be nothing to stop AM Funnell being extended further to match Admiral Hudson’s twice extended term.

Nevertheless the general feeling in top Defence circles is that there will be a new GAS next year, with the choice between Barry Gration and Hans Roser. The other leading candidate was Air Vice Marshal Ted Radford, the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, who has retired after nearly 38 years in the RAAF to become the Deputy Chief Executive – Technical, of Australia’s international airline, Qantas.

Radford, who was Air Commander Australia for four years until early this year,took up the Qantas appointment on August 13. His wide responsibilities cover all the operational areas such as Flight Operations, Engineering and Maintenance, Logistics, Fuel, Safety and Security. He was invited to apply for the Qantas position, one of nine senior posts advertised. However, had the Defence apparatus been able to say that Radford would be the next RAAF GAS, he would have withdrawn his application. “Wild horses and all the money in the world would not have enticed me away from the honour and privilege of being the Chief of Air Staff,” he told us. “However the system was not ready to make a decision”.

Ian Barrington Gration was born on June 30, 1936 in Melbourne and educated at Scotch College and the RAAF College, Point Cook. Later as an external student he graduated in 1965 from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Enlisting in the RAAF as an air cadet on January 26, 1953, Gration graduated as a Pilot Officer in the General Duties Branch from Point Cook on December 10, 1956. He then joined No. 10 Squadron flying Lincolns from Garbutt air base, Townsville. He became an instructor at the Australian Joint Anti-Submarine School, NSW in December, 1959.

In June 1962, Gration became a flying instructor at No. 1 Applied Flying Training School at Pearce, near Perth, WA. Some three years later he was posted to No. 38 Squadron at Richmond, NSW and flew Caribou transports. Early in 1966 Gration became Squadron Training Officer with No. 34 (VIP) Squadron at Fairbairn, ACT where he flew Viscounts and Mysteres.

After completing RAAF Staff College in 1970, he went to the Department of Air in the Defence complex in Canberra to carry out staff duties. From there Gration was posted to RAAF Support Unit, Tengah, Singapore as CO in November, 1971. He returned to Australia in August, 1973 to work in the Directorate of Personnel Officers at the Department of Air.

After completing the Joint Services Staff College course in the second half of 1975, Gration became OC of the Fairbairn base. He then became Director of Operations – Air Force in Canberra.

In August, 1980, Gration became OC RAAF Base Richmond, where he flew C-130H Hercules and Caribou transports. From there he attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK in 1982.

On return he was appointed Director General, Joint Operations and Plans, and in November, 1985, as an Air Vice Marshal, became Chief of Air Force Personnel. His final appointment before becoming Air Commander Australia on February 3, 1990 was Head of the Australian Defence Staff and Defence Attache at the Australian Embassy at Washington for nearly three years.

Gration has been honoured with the Air Force Cross and is an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). He also won the Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air. He and his wife, Denise, have four adult children.

Hansjorg Friederich Roser was born in Germany on June 6, 1937 and emigrated with his parents to Australia at the age of 12. He became an Australian citizen in 1955.

He was educated at various schools in Germany and Australia and at the RAAF College, Point Cook in 1955-58. As a pilot, Roser has flown extensively on Vampire, Sabre, F-4 Phantom and Mirage fighters and has had experience on a range of other aircraft, up to the F-18 Hornet. His services in South East Asia included Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. He also served in the United States and United Kingdom.

This provided an extensive background in air operations, strategic planning, project management and general administration. His first posting was to No. 23 (City of Brisbane) Squadron flying Vampires. Later he flew F-4s with the US 7th Air Force in Vietnam. Roser joined No. 76 Squadron on Sabres at Williamtown and then switched to No. 77 Squadron on Mirages, also at Williamtown.

He attended the RAAF Staff College in 1971, and the United States Air Force Air War College in 1976-77, graduating from Auburn University, USA as a Master of Public Administration in 1977. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.

Roser was Director of Planning at RAAF Headquarters in 1978-80, and OC of RAAF Base Laverton in 1980-82 which provided training, logistic support and medical service functions. He took over as Director General of the F-18 procurement program in 1982 to oversee the manufacturing, assembly and testing of aircraft in Australia, initial logistic support, the construction of RAAF/industry facilities and training of RAAF/industry personnel.

In 1987/88 Air Vice Marshal Roser moved to Penang, Malaysia, to command the Five Power Integrated Air Defence System. Returning to Australia, he was appointed Assistant Chief of the Air Staff -Material, in March 1989 and later in the year was appointed the first Assistant Chief of the Defence Force – Personnel.

He attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in 1986. He and his wife Robin play golf. They have two children. Roser’s recreational interests other than golf include waterskiing and classical music.