Aircraft
New Zealand Outlines Airlift, Maritime Patrol Aircraft Needs
The country’s C-130, B757 and P-3 fleets will need to replaced in the next decade.
The Kawasaki P-1 has already been demonstrated in New Zealand, which requires new maritime patrol aircraft in the mid-2020s. (Photo: JMSDF)
The Kawasaki P-1 has already been demonstrated in New Zealand, which requires new maritime patrol aircraft in the mid-2020s. (Photo: JMSDF)

New Zealand has outlined its defense acquisition priorities for the next decade, with new airlifters and maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) high on the agenda. There are various potential airlift contenders, and the Japanese have made an early showing for the MPA requirement by sending two Kawasaki P-1s belonging to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) to the Royal New Zealand Navy’s 75th anniversary celebrations and an international naval exercise.