Wellington purchased the P-8As via an NZ$2.346 billion ($1.6 billion) contract signed on 9 July 2018. These aircraft replaced six P-3K2 Orions that were fully withdrawn by 31 January.
The P-8A fleet is operated by No. 5 Squadron, which moved from RNZAF Base Whenuapai in Auckland. This was because Ohakea has a longer runway, plus it does not suffer from urban encroachment as the Auckland base does. This ensures that P-8As can take off with full fuel and weapon loads with greater safety margins.
WgCdr Mark Whiteside, Commanding Officer of No. 5 Squadron, told Naval News that upgraded sensors of the older Orions were comparable to the Poseidon’s. However:
“What we have with the P-8 is the future, a constantly evolving platform with the ability to be upgraded, and more resilient from a self-protection point of view as well.”
New Zealand P-8As formally became operational on 1 July. WgCdr Whiteside explained that this first operational release covered “achieving local area surveillance and reconnaissance,” such as “support of other government agencies, fisheries patrols and military surveillance if required, as well as search and rescue and responses to natural disasters”.
The RNZAF has benefitted from practical experience shared by Australia, particularly in terms of search and rescue, since that is not a role USN P-8As typically perform. Kiwi P-8As carry Uni-Pac III life rafts, and an aircraft is kept on standby for contingencies.
The P-8As will focus on New Zealand’s environs, as well as maritime domain awareness in the southwest Pacific. The aircraft have already deployed to Fiji, for example, and in the summer will deploy over the Southern Ocean.
Other operational releases will follow over the next 12-18 months, presumably including anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare. The CO explained, though, that, “It’s really extending the reach of the capability rather than a specific role,” particularly for longer deployments and durations.
The RNZAF purchased MK 54 lightweight torpedoes as part of the P-8A package. However, it has not publicly declared any intended anti-ship missile capability.
Construction of new infrastructure for P-8s is ongoing, including two hangars, an operations centre and simulator centre, with these expected to be completed later in 2024. Other elements such as strengthened pavements, a new apron and washdown facility have been completed.
A Level D full-flight simulator, plus a linked backend weapons tactics trainer, is due from CAE early next year. WgCdr Whiteside described simulation as “a great tool for us and it improves the quality of the training, the scope of training, that can be delivered”. For example, it can recreate electronic warfare environments that would be otherwise impossible for New Zealand to replicate.
Furthermore, the simulator frees up aircraft from routine training missions, allowing the fleet to be available for operationally tasking most of the time. This is the main reason why the RNZAF could downsize from six P-3K2s to just four P-8As.
With the New Zealand military facing serious personnel retention challenges, the RNZAF was forced to retire its Orions earlier than scheduled since it could not keep two aircraft types flying concurrently. This left a capability gap until the initial operational capability was declared earlier this month.
No. 5 Squadron currently has two-thirds of mandated personnel numbers, but the unit is focused on increasing capacity; the goal is to reach 6-7 aircrews over the next few years. Concerning the new P-8 capability so far, WgCdr Whiteside said, “We’re pretty happy where we’re at.”
