The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is set to save hundreds of millions of dollars by gaining New Zealand pilots as a
result of the scrapping of New Zealand's Air Combat Force, ACT Defence Spokesman MP Owen Jennings said today.
"We will lose a massive amount of talent, as these capable young airforce personnel head overseas," Owen Jennings said.
"The RAAF currently have eleven operational pilots available for their thirty-four F111 fighter bombers and forty-two
pilots for seventy-one FA18 Hornet fighters.
"The Australians are short of at least fifty-two pilots.
"We are making redundant at least 700 pilots and ground crew. We have invested a lot of time and money to produce
excellent pilots, and Australia could gain them.
"Figures from Australia estimate the cost of training a pilot is in excess of $25m. That figure includes the cost of
salaries, fuel, ground support crew costs, and maintenance. New Zealand has invested a fraction of that figure and our
pilots can simply walk across the base at Nowra and join the RAAF.
"Recent joint exercises between New Zealand and Australia have shown the vast experience and skill New Zealand pilots
have, even with their outdated aircraft. In one recent joint exercise, our pilots "sunk" the HMAS ANZAC four times
before the RAAF got a shot off," Owen Jennings said today.
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