The Royal New Zealand Air Force has taken delivery of its fourth and final P-8A Poseidon from Boeing as part of a $1.45-billion maritime patrol aircraft procurement signed in 2018.
The new fleet replaces six decommissioned Lockheed P-3K2 Orion anti-submarine and maritime surveillance planes that have been in service with the air force since the 1960s.
Like the Orions, the Poseidons will be deployed for maritime surveillance, security operations, and humanitarian missions across New Zealand and allied territories.
Additional fleet tasks include monitoring New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone, the South Pacific, the Southern Ocean, the Ross Dependency, and parts of Antarctica.
The Poseidon fleet will also support other agencies across the government, such as the New Zealand Police, Customs, Department of Conservation, and Ministry for Primary Industries.
The last aircraft arrived at the Ohakea Base and was received in the presence of New Zealand Capability Delivery Deputy Secretary Sarah Minson.
“From the initial contract with the US Foreign Military Sales process, through to the construction of the fuselages in Kansas, the trip to the Boeing factory in Seattle, their paint roll out and test flights and operational release earlier this month, this has been an incredibly smooth process,” Minson stated.
“These aircraft are now all ready to begin their lifetime of service to Aotearoa New Zealand.”
New Zealand’s Poseidon Fleet
The Poseidon measures 123.6 feet (37.64 meters) long and is based on the Boeing 737-800 narrow-body airliner fuselage.
The maritime aircraft has electronic support measures, surveillance sensors, self-protection systems, data links, and a satellite communications platform for sustained awareness over the sea.
Boeing delivered the second and third Poseidons to the Royal New Zealand Air Force earlier this year.
The company handed over the initial aircraft in December 2022, partnering with Lufthansa Technik to support sustainment services for the fleet.
Construction of the first Poseidon commenced in March 2022. Within four months, the aircraft debuted in Renton, Washington.
