// Deputy Chief of Air Force

Air Commodore Howse’s operational flying has predominantly been in the air combat force, including an exchange pilot tour with the United States Air Force at Homestead Air Force Base, Florida.  Air Commodore Howse is an experienced solo display pilot and has been a member of several KIWI RED Skyhawk formation display teams.  He has undertaken flying training appointments at basic, advanced and operational levels and is a category A flying instructor.  

Air Commodore Howse has held a number of command and staff appointments.  At the senior level these have included: Development and acquisition projects with the NZ Ministry of Defence and Strike Operations Staff Officer at Air Staff in Wellington (1990-1993); Commanding Officer No 75 Squadron at RNZAF Base Ohakea (1993-1996); and Senior Planning Staff Officer (A3/5) & Director of the Air Power Development Centre in HQ Air Command (1996-1998). He was the Assistant Air Commander Operations at HQ Air Command in Auckland (1998-2000) before moving to HQ NZ Defence Force in Wellington as Director of Defence Intelligence & Security (2001-2003) and Director of Strategic Plans (2003-2004). In November 2004, Air Commodore Howse was posted to Australia as the Head of the NZ Defence Staff & Defence Adviser in Canberra.  He returned to New Zealand in January 2008 to take up the position of Air Component Commander in HQ Joint Forces New Zealand, prior to his current appointment in July 2009 as Deputy Chief of Air Force.

Air Commodore Howse has undertaken RNZAF command and staff training (1988), attended the Royal Air Force Aerosystems Course at RAF Cranwell in the United Kingdom (1989 –1990), graduating with distinction, and attended Joint Services Staff College in Australia (1996).  Air Commodore Howse attended the inaugural Integrated Air Defence System (IADS) Senior Commanders Course in Malaysia in July 1999 and is a graduate of the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies in Canberra, which he attended in 2000.

Air Commodore Howse was appointed the NZ Senior National Representative to United States Central Command in Florida in October 2001, following the terrorist attacks in the US in September 2001, where he led the NZ delegation planning to integrate the first NZ military contributions into the US-led coalition force under Operation Enduring Freedom.

In February 2004, he deployed on a seven-month operational tour of duty to Afghanistan to command the NZ-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamyan Province, comprising 160 military forces and civilian staff from New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom and Afghanistan.  He was responsible for coalition security and stabilization operations throughout Bamyan Province and for facilitating humanitarian and reconstruction efforts alongside the Provincial Government, UN agencies, NGOs and other international & national organisations.  For his operational service to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, he was awarded the United States Bronze Star.

Air Commodore Howse graduated with distinction from Nottingham University in the United Kingdom with a Master of Science degree in Navigation Technology in 1998, and was subsequently awarded the Royal Institute of Navigation Medal and Prize in London for being the most outstanding Master of Science graduate at Nottingham University. Air Commodore Howse also graduated in April 2002 with a Master of Arts degree in Strategic Studies from La Trobe University in Melbourne.

Air Commodore Howse was awarded the Air Force Cross in the 1996 New Year Honours and was made an Additional Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2005 New Year Honours for his service in Afghanistan.