Purchase of four Boeing P-8A Poseidon Aircraft

09/07/2018 News

On 9 July 2018, the Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters announced that New Zealand will acquire four Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft, and training systems, to replace the ageing P-3K2 Orion fleet.

A copy of the Minister of Defence's release is available from the Beehive website: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-zealand-buy-four-p-8a-poseidon-maritime-patrol-aircraft(external link) (external website).

The P-8A will bring enhanced capability to the roles performed by the Orions over many decades such as contributing to the international rules-based order through peace and security operations, search and rescue, disaster response, resource and border protection, and environmental and marine resource monitoring. Like the Orions before them, the P-8As are expected to serve New Zealand over several decades to come.

The P-8A will enable New Zealand to continue to deploy to a wide range of airborne maritime situations independently, and when required, work effectively with partners, who will all be operating the aircraft at the time of delivery to New Zealand.

No. 5 Squadron, which currently operates the Orions, will shift from Whenuapai to Ohakea Air Force Base to operate the P-8As.

Please visit the Future Air Surveillance Capability page for more information on the Ministry of Defence future air surveillance capability programme.