Asian Air Power – RNZAF

Asian Air Power No. 5: New Zealand

It may seem strange to classify the Royal New Zealand Air Force as ‘Asian’. Nevertheless, like Australia, New Zealand has commitments in Asia through the Five Power Defence Arrangement (by which Britain, Australia and New Zealand guarantee the security of Malaysia and Singapore).

Each year A-4K Skyhawks of RNZAF No.75 Squadron deploy 9354 km. through Australia and Indonesia to Singapore for air exercises with UK, Australia, Malaysia and Singaporean forces. These exercises are all part of keeping the Five Power Defence Arrangement and the Integrated Air Defence System viable – and as a warning to other powers in the region of the commitment to the security of Singapore and Malaysia. The RNZAF also has a permanent unit in Singapore – three RNZAF Iroquois – in support of the Singapore-stationed 500-man 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.

New Zealand would be one of the few nations which gained an air force without really seeking one. The idea of an aviation component for the national defence had been discussed by the General Staff in 1911, but this came to nothing. In 1913, however, a group of patriotic British businessmen, concerned with the defence of the Empire, bought a Bleriot-type monoplane and presented it to the New Zealand government. The aircraft was not to play any significant part in New Zealand aviation history because upon the outbreak of World War it was returned for use by British forces and ended up taking part in the Mesopotamian campaign.

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