New Zealand invests $2.7bn in aircraft upgrade to boost humanitarian response and security

New Zealand will invest NZ$2.7 billion (US$1.6 billion) to replace aging Defence Force aircraft with MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and Airbus A321XLR aircraft, in a move the government says will strengthen both combat capability and humanitarian response.

Defense Minister Judith Collins KC and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters confirmed the decision as part of the Defence Capability Plan (DCP), with Seahawks set to replace SH-2G(I) Seasprite helicopters and A321XLRs replacing the long-serving Boeing 757 fleet.

Collins said the upgrade would ensure New Zealand had a “critical combat-capable, interoperable and dependable fleet.

“The MH-60R Seahawk is a great aircraft for what New Zealand needs and fulfills our objective of having a more integrated Anzac [Australia and New Zealand] force, and the new planes will give us reliable aircraft to deploy personnel and respond to international events.”

The new aircraft will also play a vital role in humanitarian operations and disaster response across the Pacific. “New Zealand needs reliable aircraft to deploy our personnel, deliver military equipment and humanitarian aid, support the evacuation of civilians, and transport government trade and diplomatic delegations quickly, over long distances, and often at short notice,” Collins said.

She noted that the A321XLR’s extra-long-range capability was chosen for missions such as medical evacuations and urgent returns from Antarctica in severe weather.

Peters highlighted the broader context of the investment: “Global tensions are increasing rapidly, and we must invest in our national security to ensure our economic prosperity. The DCP provides the foundation for our uplift in defense spending, and two-yearly reviews of the plan will allow us to adapt to an ever-changing security environment.”

Collins added that New Zealand’s cabinet was expected to review the final business case next year, with procurement of helicopters through the US Foreign Military Sales program to proceed at pace.

The upgrades are part of the $12 billion in planned commitments outlined in the DCP, which was announced in April.

New Zealand’s Search and Rescue Services recently ordered four Airbus H145 helicopters.