New Zealand has received the first of four P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft built by Boeing in a ceremony at the Museum of Flight.
“As a maritime nation, delivery of the P-8A will ensure New Zealand maintains a patrol and response capability that will protect and support law enforcement in our Exclusive Economic Zone and Southern Ocean,” said Sarah Minson , acting Deputy Secretary Capability Delivery, New Zealand Ministry of Defence.
“The P-8A will also assist our South Pacific neighbors and deliver long-range search and rescue capability.”
The milestone comes four years after the New Zealand Government entered into an agreement with the U.S. Navy for the P-8A.
New Zealand’s three remaining P-8 aircraft are all in advanced stages of production and will be delivered in 2023. The aircraft will replace New Zealand’s current fleet of six P-3K2 Orions and will be based at Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Ohakea.
“The unmatched, multi-mission maritime patrol capabilities of the P-8 will provide New Zealand the ability to extend their reach into the Pacific and beyond,” said Philip June , vice president and program manager, P-8 Programs.
“New Zealand joins eight other global customers including nearby Australia that have selected or already operate the P-8 and benefit greatly from its long-range maritime surveillance and warfare capabilities.”
To date, the global operating P-8 fleet has amassed more than 450,000 mishap-free flight hours.
The P-8 is a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations. In addition, the P-8 performs humanitarian and search and rescue missions around the globe.
Recently, the company delivered 150th P-8 Poseidon that will be operated by US Navy’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) One based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.