New Zealand has agreed to buy four Boeing maritime patrol planes from the U.S.
Defense Minister Ron Mark says the P8-A Poseidon planes will replace the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s six aging Orion patrol planes. He says the new planes will cost 2.35 billion New Zealand dollars ($1.6 billion), a figure which includes training systems, infrastructure and other associated costs.
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Mark says it will take delivery of the planes and begin operations from 2023. The government plans to pay for the planes over a number of years.
Boeing says the planes are designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare, as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
New Zealand is part of the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance that also includes the U.S., Canada, Australia and Britain.
