First RNZAF Poseidon handed over

On 7 December 2022, in a ceremony at the Museum of Flight in Seattle (WA), Boeing Defense officially handed over the first P-8A Poseidon to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).

The aircraft, serial NZ4801 (construction number 67017/9449), left Seattle on 8 December on its way to New Zealand, where it arrived on 12 December.

New Zealand ordered four Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) in March 2019. The three remaining P-8As are all in advanced stages of production and will be delivered in 2023.

Initial operating capability (IOC) is expected to be achieved by July 2023. The entire fleet of four aircraft is slated to reach Full Operating Capability (FOC) by 2025.

The P-8As will replace the Lockheed Martin P-3K2 Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft, of which three are still active with 5 Squadron at Whenuapai air base. Identities of the four new MPAs are:

NZ4801, test registration N786DS, c/n 67017/9449
NZ4802, test registration N788DS, c/n 67018/9488
NZ4803, test registration N790DS, c/n 67019 (line number not known)
NZ4804, test registration N806DS, c/n 67020 (line number not known)

Photo by Boeing Defense