New Zealand Picks MH-60R Seahawk, A321XLR Aircraft

NEW Zealand’s government has decided to select the Sikorsky (a Lockheed Martin company) MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and the Airbus A321XLR (Extra Long Range) aircraft for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).

In an announcement by the defence minister Judith Collins and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, the government elected to spend US$1.57 billion for the above acquisitions in the first major investment decision as part of the Defence Capability Plan (DCP).

The deal encompasses the procurement of five MH-60R Seahawks and a pair of A321XLR aircraft to replace the current SH-2G Seasprite maritime helicopters and the Boeing 757-2K2 fleet respectively.

Minister Collins said, “The MH-60R Seahawk is a great aircraft for what New Zealand needs and fulfils our objective of having a more integrated Anzac force, and the new planes will give us reliable aircraft to deploy personnel and respond to international events. These five Seahawks will increase the offensive and defensive capability and surveillance range of Royal New Zealand Navy’s frigates and ensure we are interoperable with our ally Australia and other partner defence forces.”

“We will now move at pace to get the process under way to procure helicopters directly through the United States’ Foreign Military Sales programme instead of going to a wider tender, with Cabinet expected to consider the final business case next year”, she added.

In the meantime, the two A321XLR from Airbus are to be acquired through a six-year lease to buy arrangement to deploy personnel, deliver military equipment and humanitarian aid, support the evacuation of civilians, and transport government trade and diplomatic delegations quickly, over long distances, and often at short notice.  –shp/adj/dl (Pix:LOCKHEED MARTIN)