New Zealand to Spend $3bn Upgrading Defence Fleet, Replace Aging Aircraft

New Zealand will invest nearly NZ$3 billion to upgrade its ageing defence fleet, including replacing planes that have repeatedly left national leaders grounded. The government plans to spend NZ$2 billion on five MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and NZ$700 million on two long-range Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
Officials described the upgrades as “once-in-a-generation investments” essential for national security and preparedness in an increasingly tense global environment. The new aircraft will replace decades-old planes, ensuring safer and more reliable travel for leaders, while the helicopters will enhance maritime capabilities with torpedoes and missiles, boosting the defensive strength of the fleet.
The two Airbus planes are long-range models capable of returning safely from remote regions and will be acquired through a six-year lease-to-buy arrangement, expected to be operational by 2028. The helicopters will strengthen New Zealand’s integrated force capabilities and improve the deployment of defence personnel.
The government emphasized that these upgrades are part of broader plans to increase defence spending over the next decade and respond to growing international security challenges, including foreign interference and espionage threats.