The Perfect Soldier: Special Operations, Commandos, and the Future of Us Warfare by James F. Dunnigan
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Dirty Little Secrets
Two Nations Go Fighterless
by James Dunnigan
November 20, 2005
Discussion Board on this DLS topic
Another Pacific island nation has gotten rid of
its air force. Well, sort of. New Zealand sold off its warplanes, after
disbanding its fighter force in 2001. Last month, the Philippines removed from
service its eight F-5 fighters. These 1960s era aircraft were not much of a
match for any more recent warplanes, and expensive to maintain. The
Philippines, like New Zealand, has kept helicopters, and some reconnaissance
aircraft, in service. The Philippines is also keeping in service five S211 jet
trainers, which can be used for ground attack, or air-to-air operations (like
against terrorists who have hijacked an aircraft.) In both cases, the nations
in question saw no practical need for a jet fighter force. While this is dicey
for the Philippines, which faces possible clashes with China, New Zealand is
nowhere near any hostile nation’s air power. But the Filipinos are being
practical, as they could never afford to buy and maintain warplanes sufficient
to deal with a Chinese air threat. Like New Zealand, the Philippines depends on
its friendship with the United States for protection. American warplanes
provide better protection than any jet fighters New Zealand and the Philippines
could put in the air.
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