Govt to decide on new planes

Press, 11 September 1989, Page 1

Govt to decide on new planes

By

DAVE WILSON

Hard on the heels of the Anzac frigates decision, the Government is expected to decide this month to spend up to $175 million replacing worn-out R.NLZ.A.F. jet training aircraft

The Air Force has tenders for the supply of up to 18 advanced trainers, but a Government decision expected last June was deferred until the outcome of the frigates controversy. This was because of the capped Defence budget, with funding of the replacements for the ageing Strikemaster fleet hinging on the system of funding agreed on for the frigates. A spokesman for the Minister of Defence, Mr Tizard, said he understood the way was now clear for funding the replacement aircraft. A decision must be made by the end of the month, when the validity of aircraft tenders expires. The British-made Strikemasters, which entered R.N.Z.A.F. service in 1972, will be phased out between next year and 1995. Fatigue cracks have been found in the 15 aircraft

An Air Force team that spent seven weeks in 1987 evaluating likely replacements recommended the Strikemasters be replaced with Italian Aermacchi 339 C jets. This is believed to have become the official recommendation of the R.N.Z.A.F., one of the Aermacchi’s advantages being that it uses the same type of Rolls-Royce engine as fitted to the Strikemasters.

During the evaluation, the Government suggested that the Air Force might settle on the Australian PC9 turbo-prop training aircraft But the R.N.Z.A.F. has pleaded that it needs a jet option in the training syllabus of its pilots. Project Falcon, the replacement of the Strikemasters, is the top priority in the Air Force capital equipment programme. However, the new jet trainers are only one of the capital items needed by the R.N.Z.A.F. in the short to medium term.

Project Rigel 11, the second stage in upgrading the Orion fleet, is also awaiting funding. While the Skyhawk fighters are being modernised, the ageing Hercules and Andover transport aircraft, and the 23-year-old Iroquois helicopter fleet will also need replacement

In total, the R.N.Z.A.F. envisages about $2 billion of aircraft being upgraded or replaced over the next two decades.