Fed: Interesting choice mate but seriously, the MB-339’s are still perfect for their needs. I do agree that they didn’t need the F-16’s, perhaps having the Macchi’s as their front line backed up by a small number of Super Tucano’s. Now couple these with ISAR capabilities of the R-99A’s and you start to have a force that can cover NZ’s area of operations with ease.

Looking into it your right about the MB-339, sadly the whole F-16 episode was the excuse that the in coming Labour(?) government needed to kill the whole capability against the advice of their own armed forces.

I think they could even kept the A4 if they had been clever about it, the Kuwaiti Skyhawk that went to Brazil eventually were fairly low mileage and in good nick.