Overview

• Five MH-60R naval helicopters will be procured via the U.S. Foreign Military Sales process with no wider tender, and two A321XLR transports will be taken on a six‑year lease‑to‑buy deal.
• The Seahawks replace SH‑2G(I) Seasprites with about NZ$2 billion earmarked, and they will be armed with torpedoes and missiles to extend frigate reach and deterrence.
• Two A321XLRs replace the RNZAF’s aging Boeing 757s, with NZ$700 million budgeted and capital and near‑term operating costs outlined at NZ$620 million and NZ$80.86 million respectively.
• Cabinet is slated to consider the final business case in 2026, with helicopter deliveries expected to take a few years and the A321XLRs reported as entering service around 2028.
• The package constitutes the first major decisions under April’s Defence Capability Plan, which targets higher spending toward 2% of GDP, as a same‑day intelligence report flagged rising foreign interference risks, particularly from China.