9:18 am today
The government last August announced plans to purchase five MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to replace the existing maritime fleet.
The United States has announced the approval of a US$1.5 billion (NZ$2.6b) sale of MH-60R helicopters and related equipment to New Zealand.
Former Defence Minister Judith Collins and Foreign Minister Winston Peters last August unveiled the plans to purchase five MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to replace the existing maritime fleet.
The nearly 20-metre Seahawks require three crew, can reach speeds up to 333km/h, fly up to 963km and can carry up to 1500kg. They are armed with an Mk54 anti-submarine torpedo, AGM-114 Hellfire air-surface missiles, crew-served machine guns and Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems.
