▁twelve ▁aircraft ▁fleet ▁was ▁not ▁considered ▁a ▁vi able ▁force . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁the ▁R N Z AF ▁considered ▁options ▁to ▁replace ▁or ▁upgrade ▁its ▁A - 4 K s . ▁A ▁team ▁of ▁senior ▁R N Z AF ▁personnel ▁visited ▁France , ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁assess ▁new ▁aircraft , ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Government ▁released ▁a ▁tender ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁seeking ▁propos als ▁to ▁upgrade ▁the ▁Sky h aw ks . ▁After ▁the ▁decision ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁dis band ▁the ▁R AN ' s ▁f ighter ▁force , ▁the ▁Australian ▁Government ▁offered ▁the ▁ten ▁surv iving ▁A - 4 G s ▁and ▁spare ▁parts ▁for ▁these ▁aircraft ▁to ▁New ▁Zealand ▁for ▁$ N Z 4 0 ▁million . ▁The ▁Cab inet ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁gave ▁the ▁R N Z AF ▁authority ▁to ▁begin ▁formal ▁discuss ions ▁of ▁this ▁deal ▁on ▁ 5 ▁September ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁A ▁team ▁of ▁Air ▁Force ▁personnel ▁ins pected ▁the ▁A - 4 G s ▁at ▁Al bat ross ▁in ▁November ▁that ▁year ▁and ▁jud ged ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁in ▁generally ▁good ▁condition . ▁The ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁R N Z AF , ▁Air ▁Vice - Mar shal ▁David ▁Cro oks , ▁fav oured ▁purch asing ▁the ▁A - 4 G s ▁and ▁then ▁upgrad ing ▁the ▁entire ▁A - 4 ▁fleet ▁over ▁the ▁alternative ▁of ▁bu ying ▁new ▁aircraft , ▁as ▁this ▁option ▁was ▁the ▁che