New Zealand Defence Force to retire P-3 Orion planes early, leaves capability gap

Lucy Craymer
Updated ·2 min read
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A Royal New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion aircraft prepares to take-off from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Pearce Base to join the search for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in Perth

By Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) -The New Zealand Defence Force on Tuesday said it would retire five P-3K2 Orion aircraft five months earlier than planned because of staff shortages, leaving it with few planes for search, rescue and surveillance operations until at least July.

The Orion aircraft are being replaced by new Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, with the first arriving in New Zealand on Tuesday, the remainder to be delivered by mid-2023. However, the New Zealand government said in a statement that the first Poseidon would not be ready for operations until July 1.

The Orions conduct a range of tasks, including aerial surveillance of New Zealand's exclusive economic zone and search and rescue missions in the southern Pacific. It is also key to New Zealand's response to natural disasters; P-3s were sent to Tonga following the volcanic eruption this year.

A NZDF spokesperson told Reuters the Air Force would provide maritime patrol coverage with other aircraft but may also need to ask regional partners to help.

"The aim is to ensure New Zealand's maritime security and interests are maintained to the greatest extent possible," the spokesperson said.

The problem is acute as the U.S., Japan, Australia and other countries in the region square off against China and strive for influence.

The NZDF spokesperson said high levels of attrition in the Air Force meant it was not possible to maintain all of its current aircraft while also preparing for the introduction of new aircraft.

Three of New Zealand's nine naval ships are sitting idle in port as higher civilian salaries lure personnel out of the military, the Defence Force said last week. The head of New Zealand's Defence Force, Air Marshal Kevin Short, told a parliamentary committee on Monday that he was worried the military might not be able to do all the government asked of it.

New Zealand, which spends roughly 1.5% its of GDP on defence, this year announced it would review its defence policy in light of regional geopolitics and climate change. The review is not expected to be completed until 2024.

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Gerry Doyle)