New Zealand News

Skyhawk Future Uncertain

The Royal New Zealand Air Force would emerge leaner but (some say) not necessarily sharper if the Government follows a major report it commissioned on the Defence Forces. The study is known as the Quigley report – a director of the company responsible for the study, Strategos Consulting Ltd, is Derek Quigley, a minister in the former Muldoon Government and outspoken proponent of free marketing and privatisation ideologies. There is little doubt that the Labor Government will attempt to implement most of the recommendations in the report. For the Air Force it would mean the closure of four sizeable bases including the twin Auckland bases of Whenuapai and Hobsonville-at present the homes of the Service’s transport and helicopter squadrons and of No. 5 Orion Squadron. These would probably be located in the central North Island base of Ohakea. Other establishments to go would be the non flying bases of Te Rapa (near Hamilton) and Shelly Bay (Wellington). The service would maintain the flying bases of Wigram (near Christchurch)

which is largely involved in flying training and Woodbourne in the northern South Island, the Air Force’s main engineering base.

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