P-8A Poseidon fleet complete as new C-130-Js take shape

Fourth and final P-8A Poseidon lands in Aotearoa while C-130-J project milestone celebrated with bulkhead signing ceremony at Lockheed Martin factory in the US.

Poseidons ready for duty

After four years preparing to operate and maintain the new RNZAF P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, the new capability has been formally released and the fourth and final aircraft has landed at Air Force Base Ohakea.

Chief of Air Force Air ViceMarshal Andrew Clark said the new fleet’s introduction into service marks the beginning of a new era.

“New Zealand’s maritime security is central to our wider security,” said AVM Clark. “The Poseidon is the latest in a series of aircraft going back to the early days of the RNZAF that have kept watch from the air – securing our maritime resources, defending our region against military threats, building regional resilience, preventing trans-national crime, and of course carrying out search and rescue and humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions.”

“In the Poseidon fleet, we now have the modern standard in technology to perform these crucial roles. The Poseidon has the breadth of versatility and the depth of capability required for the job in today’s complex security environment,” he said.

Achieving readiness to undertake operations was the culmination of years of hard work from a wide range of people, said Wing Commander Mark Whiteside, Commanding Officer of No. 5 Squadron which will be operating the P-8A.

“Right from the start, we knew that people would be at the heart of this generational change,” said WCMR Whiteside; “every trade in our Squadron, in the air and on the ground, and others on base with us who are involved in what we do, would be needed to put us on the mark to begin operations on time, and so it has proved to be,” he said.

“I am extremely proud of all our aviators as we begin this new era –they have worked hard, and now they will be able to see all that effort pay off as the P-8As start work.”

No. 5 Squadron has moved from RNZAF Base Auckland at Whenuapai where the Air Force’s six P-3K2 Orions were based, to Base Ohakea in Manawatū to accommodate the new aircraft. The Orions had been operated by the RNZAF since the 1960s with the last P-3K2s retired on 31 January 2023.

In 2018 the Government announced it would be purchasing the four Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (based on the commercial Boeing 737800 fuselage) from the United States Government. The first P-8A Poseidon arrived in New Zealand on 12 December 2022.

The P-8A Poseidons will be used for a range of tasks including aerial surveillance of New Zealand’s areas of interest such as the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the South Pacific and the Southern Ocean including the Ross Dependency and Antarctica. They will support a range of Government agencies, including Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand Customs, New Zealand Police, and the Department of Conservation.

Hercules milestone reached

A key C-130-J project milestone was celebrated in early May, as representatives from New Zealand and Lockheed Martin senior staff gathered for a bulkhead signing ceremony at the factory in Marietta, Georgia, USA.

“The C-130J-30 is a significant investment in strategic airlift capability that delivers domestically and globally,” said Sarah Minson, Deputy Secretary Capability Delivery at the Ministry of Defence. “This aircraft is likely be the first response option for missions in our region or further afield supporting both the NZDF and other Government agencies.”

“While we are a South Pacific nation, our ability to be part of the region, requires a capability that can get people and equipment to where they need to be, often over long distances, and always at short notice. Since 1965, the C-130H has given us this capability, and it has been used extensively. The C-130J will continue that legacy of service.”

The bulkhead signing ceremony on 11 May (US time) signified the formal commencement of New Zealand’s new C-130 fleet through production. Attendees were able to tour the factory floor and see the aircraft take shape as components of the fuselage were bought together.

Five C-130-J were purchased on 05 June 2020 the for the RNZAF to replace the current C-130 Hercules. The new aircraft are on track for delivery next year, with the full fleet operating from 2025.

The C-130J-30 has more capacity than its predecessor due to its additional 5.4 metres length and a payload capacity of 21 tonnes. With a 15 tonne payload, the new aircraft will be able to travel 2,400 nautical miles, compared to the current 1800nm.

Each of the new aircraft will be fitted with a wide bandwidth, high speed satellite communications system and an electro-optical/ infra-red camera. Imagery, video and data can be streamed in realtime and the camera allows for aerial surveillance including while undertaking transport tasks –particularly useful during search and rescue, and humanitarian and disaster relief missions.

The aircraft are being procured through the United States’ Foreign Military Sales process. Along with the new fleet, the $1.5 billion project will also deliver a full mission flight simulator and other supporting infrastructure.