Could New Zealand Ever Rebuild A Fighter Jet Fleet After Scrapping Its Air Combat Force?

New Zealand could face a difficult choice if it tries to rebuild air combat capacity after scrapping its fighter jet force. The country has long maintained a nuclear-free posture and, for years, kept defense spending around 1% of GDP, using its limited resources to sustain activities in Antarctica and maintain a small professional army supporting allied peacekeeping and Five Eyes commitments. With spending now rising to 2% of GDP and possibly more, the government’s tone is shifting. The article says fighters are “not on the table” for now, but a long-range strike capability could return via munitions for Boeing P-8 Poseidons and potential acquisition of autonomous aircraft.