.... oops sorry, I said Whenuapai for their base but it is actually Waihopai near Blenheim.
They have a base at Christchurch airport to support their operations in Antarctica.
The five eyes listening station in Waihopai is not some garden variety satellite dish...
![New Zealand Armed Forces - Page 3 Waihop10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f46/15/11/39/27/waihop10.jpg)
We are not part of AUKUS and they have made that clear.
The only real option for an AF these days would be old F-16s and we couldn't afford them.
So what if they do... why should we care?
US culture is more of a threat to New Zealand than the Russians or Chinese ever were.
I'm sure that at the US embassy in NZ, Chile, & perhaps at the Macmurdo Antarctic station there r listening stations too; also the French from their islands probably share some intel as well, esp. lately with perceived Chinese threat. There r many things we don't know surrounding this topic.
They have a base at Christchurch airport to support their operations in Antarctica.
The five eyes listening station in Waihopai is not some garden variety satellite dish...
![New Zealand Armed Forces - Page 3 Waihop10](https://i.servimg.com/u/f46/15/11/39/27/waihop10.jpg)
The AUKUS may pressure NZ to spend more & build up her Naval & AFs,
We are not part of AUKUS and they have made that clear.
The only real option for an AF these days would be old F-16s and we couldn't afford them.
If the Germans could keep their subs in the Tasman Sea during WWII,
what to say of the Chinese & Russians that have bigger navies & bases on the Pacific?
So what if they do... why should we care?
US culture is more of a threat to New Zealand than the Russians or Chinese ever were.