AviationBanter - View Single Post - A-4 today

**tankfixer**

In article fdcc7be5-a86d-485f-b675-
,
says...
I was wondeirng, given the NZ government having problems with
Skyhawks, what made them so put off about them? I know they are older,
but the Israelis really modified theirs and they seemed OK with
precision weapons.

Can the A-4 Skyhawk mount Harpoon missiles? If not I would guess that
Penguin or something like that would be doable. With a good mix of
fuel tanks and underwing missiles I could see the A-4 giving the New
Zealanders a good quick-reaction capability over a very good range.

Are the Kiwis planning to replace the A-4 with a new attack jet type
due to expense and maintenance or are they just making the decision
they don't need that type of craft for their defensive needs?

At any rate A-4s being used as aggressors for training today is still
pretty cool after about 50 or so years of Skyhawk service.

NZ got rid of them because they are evil war making machines and a kind
genteel government just can't own that kind of thing now can they ?

--
Meddle ye not in the Affairs of Dragons, for Thou art Crunchy and taste
Goode with Ketchup.