Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

No plans to re-establish air strike wing - Key

Updated at 3:28pm on 2 December 2008

Prime Minister John Key says the Government has no plans to re-establish the combat wing of the New Zealand airforce.

The airforce strike wing was disbanded by the Labour government in 2001.

Mr Key's comments follow a report from the New Zealand Press Association about the mothballed Aermacchis training jets.

NZPA asked Defence Minister, Wayne Mapp if they would be restored. Dr Mapp said a defence white paper was looking at the process to consider that option.

But Mr Key said on Monday that was not going to happen and it is s extremely unlikely any white paper would argue that New Zealand should be keeping any jet training capability.

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