' s ▁fixed - wing ▁force ▁would ▁be ▁brought ▁forward ▁as ▁the ▁R AN ▁no ▁longer ▁needed ▁such ▁aircraft . ▁Six ▁of ▁the ▁A - 4 G s ▁were ▁taken ▁out ▁of ▁service ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁four ▁were ▁retained ▁for ▁target ▁to wing , ▁rad ar ▁and ▁weapon ▁cal ibration ▁duties , ▁and ▁other ▁fleet ▁support ▁tasks . ▁While ▁some ▁consideration ▁was ▁given ▁to ▁using ▁the ▁Sky h aw ks ▁in ▁the ▁close ▁air ▁support ▁role , ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁to ▁ret ire ▁the ▁type . ▁The ▁last ▁Australian ▁A - 4 G ▁fl ights ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁ ▁Royal ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Air ▁Force ▁The ▁Royal ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Air ▁Force ▁( R N Z AF ) ▁had ▁purchased ▁a ▁fleet ▁of ▁ 1 4 ▁A - 4 K ▁Sky h aw ks ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁These ▁aircraft ▁were ▁a ▁variant ▁of ▁the ▁A - 4 E , ▁and ▁were ▁used ▁mainly ▁in ▁the ▁close ▁air ▁support ▁role . ▁By ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁they ▁were ▁becoming ▁out dated , ▁and ▁lack ed ▁the ▁air - to - air ▁and ▁advanced ▁air - to - ground ▁capabilities ▁identified ▁as ▁requirements ▁for ▁the ▁R N Z AF ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁Def ence ▁Review . ▁Two ▁of ▁the ▁A - 4 K s ▁had ▁been ▁destroyed ▁in ▁flying ▁acc idents ▁and ▁the ▁remaining