Rebuild our Airforce strike wing, perhaps with the Gripen Fighter. After discussion in the Facebook group 'Friends of the RAN / RNZAF A-4 Skyhawk' group. there seems to be a consensus forming that the Swedish Gripen aircraft would be a good replacement fit for NZ if it rearmed. Better for warfighting in the S/W Pacific domain, using short runways and fast turnaround to rearm and re engine if necessary and fully net-workable.
Ron Mark, our Defence minister is doing his best to at least upgrade our obsolete equipment, but having no AirStrike wing and only 2 frigates in our "Navy" doesn't cut it in my view anyway, or in the view of some people within NZ's own Defence Community. Ron briefly commented to me that as NZ First, the junior MMP coalition partner, has only 7% of the vote, it doesn't have the leverage to demand a serious level of Defence expenditure within the caucus.
Traditionally in my memory, NZ maintained 4 frigates as well as the Air Strike Wing. It was a total travesty for Helen Clark, our Prime Minister of the time to dispand our Skyhawks and cancel the F16 deal with the US. Almost treasonous in my personal view. There are repercussions even to this day.
This is what should be exercising New Zealanders' minds right now IMO:
There could be an existential threat to NZ within the next 5 - 10 years - I hope that's wrong...
New-Zealands Dangerous Strategic Apathy in an Uncertain Age
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/ne...uncertain-age/
If you love your country, please read this article - these issues cannot be ignored any longer...
There is still time for New Zealand's Defence establishment to respond - they are fully aware of this situation but are doing next to nothing to upgrade our actual combat capability.
Australia has upped their 10-year Defence expenditure by 40% -
When is New Zealand going to respond ? - It takes political pressure from ALL of us...