The New Zealand Defence Force has awarded a contract worth $30 million to Mainzeal Property and Construction Ltd to construct additional infrastructure at the Ohakea Air Force Base in the Manawatu.

Defence spokesperson, Wing Commander Peter Neilson, said thirteen separate engineering workshops covering 11,000 square metres will be constructed for use by the Air Force, and potentially also the Army after consolidation of the Linton Army Base at Ohakea.

The Air Force will use the facilities principally for aeronautical engineering maintenance and the Army might use the paint workshop facilities.

Construction will commence in February and the building is expected to be ready for use in June 2012.