Skyhawks go from $35m to giveaways

Since 2001 it has cost at least $12 million to maintain the 17 mothballed Skyhawks for sale. Photo / Simon Baker

If a sale of the Air Force's 17 mothballed Skyhawks for $35 million was ever a real proposition, they probably got a lot cheaper yesterday.

Prime Minister John Key indicated that the Government was prepared to give them away.

He said that if they weren't sold, they could be given to aero clubs for display purposes, and one could be given to Australia as a museum piece.

Labour abolished the combat strike wing of the Air Force and the Skyhawks were decommissioned in 2001.

Two separate bidders were prepared to pay $35 million for the Skyhawks.

One of them, Arizona company Tactical Air Services (TAS) agreed in 2005 to buy the 45-year-old jets, plus 17 more modern Aermacchi trainers, for $155 million.

But the United States State Department took four years to give its approval and since getting it last year, TAS has not come up with the money.

State Department approval lapses today and Defence Minister Wayne Mapp indicated yesterday the Government could wait another couple of months for an offer.

But there is no existing contract to buy them.

"I know there has been a financial crisis, but there is no contract and we don't have a real deal until we have a contract."

The Skyhawks were taken out of their storage hangars at Woodbourne Air Base in Blenheim 2007 and wrapped in latex to be kept outside.

Mr Key said they might be used as scrap, though again permission from the State Department would be needed if the avionics in the aircraft were to be sold separately within the US.

"It may well be that they end up in clubs around New Zealand and maybe one going to Australia."

Australia had asked for one.

"They'd like to have one in their collection, and I think it would be a nice gesture on our part.

"Let's face it, there's not exactly a lot of buyers clambering in front of them so if that was the scenario - that we ended up distributing them - we probably would give one to Australia.

Maintaining them since 2001 has cost at least $12 million.

Asked about the State Department's slow approval, Mr Key said "I don't want to blame anyone - I guess I would just say it's frustrating."