Mothballed jets cost $34 million

Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Air Force's decommissioned fleets of Skyhawk fighter bombers and Aermacchi jet trainers have racked up a bill of $34 million in the past nine years and are apparently no closer to being sold.

Both fleets have been in storage since they were decommissioned by the Labour Government in December 2001, but a worldwide sales campaign has failed to attract a buyer.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said that since 2001 they had cost $34 million in maintenance and other expenses including operating costs of $17.1 million, $6.8 million for cancelling a contract with Airways Corp and the written-off capital cost of the aircraft.