Goff Welcomes Progress on Air Force Helicopters
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Hon Phil Goff
Minister of Defence
6 June 2008 Media Statement
Goff Welcomes Progress on Air Force Helicopters
Defence Minister Phil Goff has welcomed the completion of the initial stage of the construction of New Zealand’s first
NH90 helicopter being built in France.
Mr Goff visited the plant while in France to attend the annual meeting of the OECD Ministerial Council.
“The ‘mating’ of the NH-90 helicopter fuselage represents the first stage of assembly of the helicopter which should be
completed by October this year,” Mr Goff said.
“The helicopter, which is the first of eight being built for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, will be ready for its test
flight in about five months. It will then take a year for it to receive formal qualification.
“At that point, New Zealand crews will commence training in France. New Zealand will also cooperate closely with
Germany’s Air Force which was the first to receive the NH-90.
“The NH-90 helicopters will form the backbone of the New Zealand Defence Force’s capability over the next 30 years,”
Phil Goff said.
“Technologically, it is several generations ahead of the Air Force’s existing Iroquois helicopters. It can carry up to
20 passengers, has greater range, speed and load capacity than the current helicopters, and can work off our naval
vessels.
“It is interoperable with other countries with which we cooperate including Australia.
“It will massively increase our capability for deployment, disaster relief, search and rescue and counter-terrorism
work.
“While it represents a big investment for New Zealand, the NH-90 will be a major asset for New Zealand for years to come
and gives the Air Force a state of the art capability,” Phil Goff said.
ENDS