New Zealand to Spend $2.7 Billion on New Military Aircraft

Defence Minister Judith Collins announced the government is to buy 5 Seahawk helicopters and 2 Airbus A321XLR aircraft.

This handout image provided by U.S. Navy shows an HH-60H Sea Hawk helicopter launching off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Anthony W. Johnson/U.S. Navy via Getty Images

New Zealand plans to buy seven new military aircraft for $2.7 billion (US$1.57 billion)—$2 billion will be spent on five MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and an additional $700 million has been allocated for two Airbus A321XLR aircraft.

The purchase is part of the government’s Defence Capability Plan, announced in April, to boost its defence spending by $9 billion over the next four years and lift it to 2 percent of GDP over the next eight years, double its current level.