3 Holer hmmmmm bite my tongue and hold back
I think the logic of why a country doesn't need an effective airforce was last defence policy in the 1930s and that had us less than 50km from a determined enemy with an airhead in the country next door to us.
The proof of why both Oz and NZ need one was once again proven in the late 90's when a small country you may of heard to the North of us called East Timor had troops on the ground who could have needed all the airpower they could get to help them out. It may be old technology but the Kiwis in their A4s WOULD NOT let anyone on the ground down.
And if the counter argument to that is 'well they weren't needed in the end' then I give up.