The New Zealand Defence Force will receive a $957 million increase over the next four years to fund essential operational activity. The Defence Minister Judith Collins made the announcement at RNZAF Base Auckland yesterday. She also announced the replacement of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) maritime helicopters, the Kaman Seasprite SH2-G(I) anti-submarine warfare dwlicopter, estimated at $2 billion. The replacement of the maritime helicopters is one of the projects contained in the recently released Defence Capability Plan. The $957 million will target Defence Force missions, people, estate maintenance and international engagement, equating to $239 million a year. Other activities include funding for international deployments ($20 million), a refreshed system of military allowances ($30 million) and funding for civilian staff pay increases ($8 million).
The RNZN replaced its Westland Wasps with four interim SH-2F Seasprites (ex-US Navy), to operate with Anzac-class frigates until the fleet of five new SH-2G Super Seasprites were delivered. The Navy air element was transferred to No. 6 Squadron RNZAF at RNZAF Base Auckland in Whenuapai in October 2005. RNZN Seasprites have seen service in East Timor. New Zealand purchased five SH-2Gs at the same time as Australia. However, New Zealand opted for new-build airframes that were outfitted with different avionics. The SH-2G purchase was completed at NZ$12 million under the $338 million budgeted. The first RNZN SH-2G(NZ) was delivered in mid-2001, and the last was delivered February 2003. The RNZN operates the type from its two Anzac-class frigates, two Protector-class offshore patrol vessels, and the multi-role vessel HMNZS Canterbury.
An urgent operational need was for RNZAF to use the FH MAG 58 machine gun on the helicopter, and this was fielded by 2008. In May 2012, Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman announced that Cabinet had given Defence officials approval to negotiate with Kaman Corporation for the 11 helicopters and flight simulator from the canceled Australian SH-2G(A) Super Seasprite project. It is thought the 11 helicopters, worth NZ$1.4 billion in 2008, would cost New Zealand between NZ$130 million to NZ$230 million. A decision to purchase ten of the helicopters for $NZ242 million was announced on 19 April 2013. Eight of the aircraft will enter service with the RNZAF to replace the existing five Seasprites, and the remaining two will be used as a source of spare parts.
The New Zealand Ministry of Defence accepted the first of the helicopters in the United States on 1 December 2014, and two more were delivered to Auckland in early 2015. Deliveries were completed by the end of 2015. All the aircraft were in service by 2016. The NZDF’s five SH-2G(NZ) Seasprites were officially retired on 14 April 2016, and conducted their last flight on 21 April after serving since August 2001. They were replaced with eight re-manufactured SH-2G(I) models, allowing the Navy to embark up to three helicopters from ships at once instead of two. The “I” model also replaces the AGM-65 Maverick with the AGM-119 Penguin anti-ship missile. New Zealand’s five SH-2G(NZ) models were sold to the Peruvian Navy in October 2014 and replaced by the eight SH-2G(I) models. From mid-2023, the NZDF initiated a Seasprite Sustainment Work Program to reduce the operational fleet from eight to five. As of 2024, fleet may be withdrawn as part of defense budget cutbacks.
