The Royal New Zealand Air Force is to cut staff numbers from 1,100 to 750. This follows the decision earlier this year to abandon an air combat capability with the retirement of its McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawks and Aermacchi MB339Cs.
New Zealand defence minister Mark Burton says 20 redundancies will be forced. The remaining 330 jobs will be cut through reduced recruitment rates, transfers to other services and voluntary discharges.
"The government has had to address long-standing issues of obsolescence and under-resourcing throughout the Defence Force. Tough choices just had to be made," he adds.
Burton says despite the cuts, the RNZAF's Ohakea fighter operations base outside Palmerston North will be retained with a NZ$20 million ($8.3 million) runway upgrade due next year. Consideration is being given to moving more RNZAF assets to the base. There is also the option of making it available for civilian use, although it is located less than 20km (12 miles) from an existing regional airport.
He says the government would proceed with plans either to upgrade or replace the RNZAF's ageing Lockheed Martin C-130HHercules and Bell UH-1H Iroquois helicopters. RNZAF Lockheed Martin P-3K Orions will also be fitted with a new mission and sensor suite, he says.
The reduction is the latest in a series of cuts. In 1990, the Royal New Zealand Air Force had 4,155 uniformed personnel.
Source: Flight International
