New Zealand is preparing to make the largest military procurement of recent years in a single attempt. The country is planning to replace six aging P-3K2 Orion aircraft in its inventory. New Zealand Defense Secretary Ron Mark, who is in charge of explaining this issue, said plans were being made to replace planes with P-8 Poseidons and that the change was one step closer. The procurement plan to be submitted to the Cabinet's Government Management and Expenditure Review Committee next Monday will be discussed in the Cabinet if it passes the board.
The cost of the P-8 Poseidon procurement program, which will be one of the largest military spending that New Zealand will make in a single agreement after the frigate upgrade programme, is expected to reach $ 1.4 billion. New Zealand spent a total of 24 million US Dollars in 2008 to keep the P-3K Orion aircraft in flight and this cost was US $ 50 million in 2016 and a total of US $ 43 million was spent this year. Along with the change, this burden is also planned to be eased.
The four-engine P-3 Orion, which made its first flight in 1958, can be used for maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare missions. These aircraft have a 360 degree scanning area and have a payload capacity of 9000 kilograms. In an attempt made in 1972 with one of these planes, New Zealand had reached 21 hours 30 minutes duration in single flight.
The P-8 Poseidon, developed to replace the aging P-3 Orions andmade its maiden flight flight in 2009, was developed on the Boeing 737 commercial aircraft. The platform using for maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare missions, such as its predecessor, has a payload carrying capacity of 5600 kilograms and a range of 5450 kilometers.
