In a ceremony at the Museum of Flight, Seattle, United States, today the New Zealand Air Force officially received the first of four orders for the Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircraft.
“As a maritime nation, the delivery of the P-8A will ensure New Zealand maintains a patrol and response capability that will protect and support law enforcement in the Exclusive Economic Zone and South Seas,” said Sarah Minson, Deputy Secretary Capability Delivery, New Zealand Ministry of Defence.
In addition, the P-8A will also assist neighboring countries and provide long-range search and rescue capabilities.
Deliveries of the first P-8A Poseidon units come four years after the New Zealand Government signed an agreement with the US Navy for the P-8A. Boeing Defense Australia will in this case provide maintenance services for New Zealand's Poseidon fleet with the support of the P-8 International Program.
New Zealand's three remaining P-8A aircraft are now in advanced production and due for delivery in 2023. These aircraft will replace New Zealand's fleet of six P-3K2 Orions. The P-8A Poseidon will later occupy a base at Ohakea Air Force Base.
To date, the P-8 fleet operating globally has accumulated more than 450,000 flight hours with no accident status. The P-8A is a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft capable of conducting wide area, maritime and coastal operations. In addition, the P-8A conducts humanitarian and search and rescue missions around the world.
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