New Zealand has signed a 1.6-billion New Zealand dollar ($909.9-million) agreement to procure MH-60R Seahawk maritime helicopters from the US.
Approved by Washington earlier this year, the deal includes five aircraft, weapons, spare parts, and ancillary equipment.
Delivery of the package is expected to commence by 2030.
The government expects the overall purchase to cost an additional 110 million New Zealand dollars ($62.6 million) in annual operating funding over the next decade.
Officials noted that future project phases may incorporate autonomous systems, infrastructure, and training solutions to maintain and improve functions of the incoming rotary-wing fleet.
Replacing Shipborne Aircraft
Once commissioned, the MH-60R will replace the New Zealand Defence Force’s legacy SH-2 Seasprite ship-based helicopters, modernizing its surface combat and aerial surveillance capabilities aboard frigates and patrol vessels.
It will also reinforce flights tied to underwater warfare, search and rescue, logistics, and counter-insurgency tasks.
Naval aviators will fly the modern fleet, while air force teams will maintain them at the RNZAF Base Auckland in Whenuapai, North Island.
During the program’s announcement in 2025, Former Defence Minister Judith Collins noted that the aircraft augments national defense goals with Australia, which is an established operator of the American-made helicopter.
“This decision will ensure New Zealand has a critical combat capable, interoperable and dependable fleet,” Collins stated. “New Zealand needs reliable aircraft … over long distances, and often at short notice.”
Sikorsky’s MH-60R Seahawk
Built by Lockheed Martin’s subsidiary Sikorsky, the MH-60R is built with a 64-foot (20-meter) airframe, a 54-foot (16-meter) rotor, and a payload capacity of about 3,306 pounds (1,500 kilograms).
It can be armed with lightweight torpedoes, guided bombs, anti-surface missiles, and crew-served machine guns.
The aircraft is powered by two General Electric T700 engines with about 1,900 horsepower each.
The MH-60 flies at up to 180 knots (207 miles/333 kilometers per hour), covers an operational radius of 520 nautical miles (598 miles/963 kilometers), and has a service ceiling of 19,000 feet (5,791 meters).
