Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

NZ troops in Afghanistan refused spy plane support

Updated at 12:44 pm on 3 September 2010

New Zealand troops in Afghanistan have been left without spy drones despite the same planes being used by private companies at home.

A request for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to support soldiers has been rejected by Defence Force Headquarters, even though other coalition armies in Afghanistan use spy planes.

Military scientists have been developing the Kahu aircraft at the Defence Technology Agency at Devonport.

More than 30 trial missions have been made, but after 10 years the Defence Force says the planes are still not ready to be used operationally.

Radio New Zealand has been told the aircraft are ready and working well.

The same plane and ground control equipment is used commercially in New Zealand to take photographs and video of windfarms, pipelines and power cables.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp says the drones keep troops safe and has told his generals to deploy the planes.

Mike Warlaw from the Defence Industry Association, which helps local companies tender for military contracts, says if New Zealand can produce what's required, the Government should buy local.

Damian Camp from New Zealand aircraft manufacturer Pacific Aerospace says having the Air Force buy his planes has encouraged foreign buyers.

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