New Zealand welcomed its first Poseidon P8-A in December 2022. Since then, the multibillion-dollar investment by its local government has welcomed three more variants, with the last arriving in July 2023. The New Zealand Government chose Boeing's military-grade Poseidon aircraft to aid the country's peace and security operations, alongside in-depth maritime surveillance for the South Pacific country. In addition, the aircraft is deployed for resource protection, with humanitarian and disaster response a critical use domestically and throughout the South Pacific.
Used for various tasks, the aerial surveillance of New Zealand is vital to its protection. For the country, a watch over the exclusive economic zone in the South Pacific and Southern Ocean, which includes the Ross Dependency and Antarctica, is essential. The aircraft supports a range of government agencies, such as New Zealand Customs, the Police, the Department of Conservation, and the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Photo: New Zealand Defence Force
Boeing's P-8A Poseidon is a multi-mission aircraft that the American aircraft manufacturer developed to replace the United States Navy's aging P-3 Orion. Since its inception, it has been chosen by various militaries worldwide, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Republic of Korea, Germany, Norway, and India, in which the design of the aircraft is purpose-built for patrolling maritime environments.
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Four were ordered and delivered.
New Zealand's Ministry of Defence ordered four aircraft in a deal worth NZ $2.346 billion ($1.5 billion) to replace its six aging P-3K2 Orion. Upon delivery of the aircraft, The No.5 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Airforce was tasked to operate the aircraft and relocated from the northern Whenuapai Air Base (north of Auckland) south to Ohakea Air Base (two hours north of Wellington).
In addition to the No. 5 squadron relocating from Whenuapai to Ohakea, NZ $250 million ($160 million) has been spent on constructing two new hangers, a training center, and an administration block. With growth at the base from the squadron's move, the population on the base increased from 1,000 to an estimated 1,200. In September 2020, the Royal New Zealand Air Force sent its inaugural crew to Jacksonville, Florida, to learn to operate the aircraft. These RNZAF pilots then qualified as instructors to enable the teaching of crew on return to New Zealand.
Other variants of the P-8
Boeing Defence has developed four variants of the aircraft:
- P-8A Poseidon – This variant was developed for the US Navy and has proven popular in other nations
- P-8I Neptune - A specific variant developed for the Indian Navy, including CAE Inc AN/ASQ-508A Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) and Griffon Corporation Telephonics APS-143C(V)3 multi-mode aft radar added
- Poseidon MRA1 - The Royal Air Force (UK) aircraft variant. The UK's designation for the P-8A.
- P-8 AGS - An Airborne, Ground Surveillance variant proposed for the United States Air Force in 2010 to replace its E-8 Joint STARS fleet; it would be equipped with a pod-mounted, active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
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Supporting the community
As reiterated by the New Zealand Defence Force, the No Squadron's crew, flight engineers, warfare officers, and specialists conduct various tasks to protect and provide surveillance of many of New Zealand's most remote areas. To aid in protecting the people of New Zealand and its neighbors, the aircraft and its operations have contingencies capable of extensive search and rescue operations in the likelihood of natural disasters.
Photo: New Zealand Defence Force
After delivery of the aircraft, the final P-3K2 Orion aircraft were retired, with the last switching off on January 31st, 2023. Since Poseidon's first arrival in December the year prior, it has welcomed its three siblings, which continue to call Ohakea home and are frequently spotted in their simple, grey livery above the skies of the Manawatū and Rangitikei region.
Aircraft specifics
Powered by two CFM56-7B engines and a ceiling of up to 41,000ft, look more into some of the aircraft's finer details:
Max take off | 189,000lbs |
|---|---|
Crew | Nine |
Ceiling | 41,000 ft |
Range | 1,200 NM (four hours on station) |
Speed | 470 knots |
Propulsion | Two x CFM56-7B Engines |
Thrust | 27,300 |
Wingspan | 123.6 ft |
Height | 42.1 ft |
Length | 129.5 ft |
With the aircraft already deployed to missions across the South Pacific, including Fiji (according to Naval News), the RNZAF looks to grow its No.5 Squadron's mandated personnel numbers. While they currently have sufficient staff, they look to increase to six to seven aircrews.
Photo: New Zealand Defence Force
A Level D full-flight simulator was also purchased from CAE, with delivery in 2024. This will be a vital tool for all crew, improving the quality and scope of training that couldn't otherwise be delivered on Kiwi soil. Furthermore, having possession of a simulator will release the time required for the use of the aircraft in training missions, allowing the P-8A to be deployed for operational tasks for the majority of its time. This was key to the RNZAF's decision to downsize from six previous P-3K2 to just four P-8A.
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RNZAF Base Ohakea
Wedged between the two small communities of Bulls and Sanson, RNZAF Base Ohekea opened in 1939; it is currently home to four squadrons (3,5,14, and 42) and the Central Flying School for pilot instructor training. Today, the base is used not only for the military but also as a diversion landing point for civilian aircraft capable of handling such aircraft, including the Boeing 787 and 777.
In January 2017, an Emirates A380 was diverted to the base because a Singapore Airlines A380 blocked the runway at Auckland International Airport due to a landing gear malfunction. This marked the first time the base welcomed the infamous double-decker.
