Choice of jet disappoints

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32459, 20 November 1970, Page 2

Choice of jet disappoints

(N.Z. Press Association—-Copyright) PERTH, November 19.

Australia’s Minister of Defence (Mr Malcolm Fraser) said in Perth today that he was very disappointed that New Zealand had decided to buy British jet trainers rather than the Australian-built Macchi.

He had been asked to comment on yesterday’s announcement that New Zealand would purchase British B.A.C. Strikemaster jet trainer aircraft for the R.N.Z.A.F; “It is their decision,” Mr Fraser said. “There’s nothing we can do about it. It means there cannot be any compatibility between the Australian and New Zealand air forces.” But the main disappointment was the loss of work for Australia’s aircraft factories. ■

Australian Macchi production began in 1965, and since then about 90 aircraft have been delivered to the R.A.A.F. and R.A.N. An order last year for a handful of additional aircraft has kept the factories tooled up and working but the production run is now nearing its end.

The airframe is being made by the Government Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation and the engines by Hawker-de Havilland. Mr Fraser will fly to New Zealand on Sunday for talks with New Zealand ministers. When he announced his visit last week-end he said he would discuss co-opera-tion in defence supplies with the New Zealand Ministers for Industries and Commerce and Defence.

A Hamilton company still hopes to sell aircraft to Australia, in spite of the New Zealand Government’s decision to buy the Strikemaster, it was reported today. “We are disappointed that it worked out this way, but in the long term Australia may still stick to the defence purchases agreement if the Airtourer is suitable for its purposes,” the manager of Aero Engine Services (Mr A. M. Coleman) said. "We have expected this to happen, and we can see the reasons. The Strikemaster really is more suitable for New Zealand."

Regarding the sale of the Hamilton-made Victor Airtoprer to Australia, Mr Coleman said his company had made submissions and quotations to the Australian Government but had heard nothing in reply.