New Zealand plans to buy seven new military aircraft for $2.7 billion (US$1.57 billion)—$2 billion will be spent on five MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and an additional $700 million has been allocated for two Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
The purchase is part of the government’s Defence Capability Plan, announced in April, to boost its defence spending by $9 billion over the next four years and lift it to 2 percent of GDP over the next eight years, double its current level.
The country decided not to replace its fleet of Skyhawk fighter jets in 2001 due to high maintenance costs and changing defence priorities, but its remaining fleet has suffered very public failures since….
New Zealand to Spend $2.7 Billion on New Military Aircraft
