Stuff Digital Edition

Retiring Orion takes final flight

The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s first retiring Orion maritime patrol aircraft has departed on its final flight after 55 years of service. The ageing Lockheed P-3K2 Orions are being retired in preparation for the arrival of four Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes from the United States, due to be in action by 2023. The Government announced it would purchase the new fleet for $2.3 billion in July 2018. The new planes, known as submarine killers, have been dubbed the most significant Defence purchase in a generation. Orion NZ4203 is the first of the six planes to be retired, after 55 years of service and over 27,000 hours of flying. Yesterday at 10.40am, the plane took off from Auckland’s Whenuapai air base to Woodbourne, near Blenheim, where it will be dismantled, the air force said.

National News

en-nz

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281569473875543

Stuff Limited