The Ministry of Defence is hunting for new helicopters to replace the Navy’s ageing Seasprite fleet. A multi-national defence giant has stepped up its campaign for New Zealand to select its state-of-the-art submarine-hunting choppers, but could government cost-cutting ground the project? George Block reports.
As mission-readiness rates drop for military aircraft amid a shortage of skilled staff and ageing airframes, an Italian defence conglomerate has begun lobbying for New Zealand to buy a fleet of its naval helicopters.
The Herald can reveal Leonardo, one of the world’s largest defence contractors, has been courting Kiwi companies and signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with local firms, including Beca and Core Aviation on the North Shore.
Leonardo wants New Zealand to select its AW159 Wildcats as the country’s new naval ship-borne helicopters to replace the ageing Seasprites.
The head of its UK helicopter division visited this country last week, where he pledged to establish a “Wildcat support centre” in Auckland, bringing more than 40 jobs, if its choppers are chosen.
Last year, the Seasprites had a serviceability rate - meaning mission readiness - of just 19 per cent. In 2019 their serviceability was 38 per cent, falling to 30 per cent the following year, 22 per cent in 2021, and 17 per cent in 2022, according to figures released by Defence under the Official Information Act.
The Air Force’s NH90 helicopters had a serviceability in 2023 of 51 per cent, down from 68 per cent in 2022, due in part to high attrition of the technical workforce, according to the Defence Force.
Serviceability of the Seasprites and NH90s dropped to 11 per cent and 34 per cent respectively in January, below even that of the beleaguered 757 transport jets. A Defence Force spokesman said serviceability often dropped in January as staff took leave.
The Defence spokesman said the Seasprite helicopters, flown by naval aviators and maintained by the Air Force, were an ageing fleet and obsolescence issues affected their availability.
Last year, the Ministry of Defence went to the market with a request for information from the industry on contenders for its Maritime Helicopter Replacement project.
Information provided to the industry in a government procurement notice said the ministry was interested in hearing from vendors who could provide “either the complete solution or portions of the solution”, which could include un-crewed aerial systems alongside naval helicopters.
A Defence spokesman said there were 26 responses to the request for information, but a preferred vendor had not been selected.
“A detailed business case is currently under way and will be considered by Government in due course,” the spokesman said.
The Defence Force has been asked to find 6.5 per cent savings as part of the Government’s public sector cost-cutting drive.
It remains unclear how the cost-cutting will affect the maritime helicopter procurement project.
Chief of Defence Force Air Marshal Kevin Short earlier this year warned MPs the cost savings could mean they would be forced to defer maintenance on major assets.
Before the election, National’s Nicola Willis, now the Finance Minister, said any cost savings in certain agencies including police, Corrections and Defence would be recycled back into the frontline.
Defence Minister Judith Collins said the business case for the maritime helicopter replacement project would be considered by Cabinet in due course once completed by officials.
“I expect this to align to decisions we will be making for options for the updated Defence Capability Plan (DCP),” Collins said.
The Defence Minister’s statement stopped short of committing to the maritime helicopter project.
“The DCP is due in June and will enable decisions to be made which signal the Government’s future investment intentions for Defence.”
Any uncertainties about future New Zealand defence spending did not stop Leonardo continuing to push for the country to select its AW159 Wildcats as the country’s new maritime helicopters.
In a speech on March 20 at the British High Commission in Wellington, Adam Clarke, managing director of Leonardo Helicopters UK, announced the company intended to establish a “Wildcat Support Centre” at the Whenuapai Air Force base in Auckland, should its helicopters be selected.
It would employ more than 40 people in the city, Clarke said.
He also announced Leonardo had signed a series of MOUs with local firms which would collaborate with the company on the support centre if its bid is successful.
They are Beca Applied Technologies, Core Aviation, Marops, Redfort Logistics Group, and United Machinists.
Representatives from those companies were present at the High Commission in Wellington for Clarke’s speech. Leonardo supplied the Herald with a transcript.
“You are integral players in the country’s onshore manufacturing, technology, and engineering industries,” he said.
“Effective partnering is critical to success and this is made easier when we have partners with whom we can share Leonardo’s core values: innovation, technology, people, and skills.”
Clarke said the agreements signalled Leonardo’s commitment to the country.
“We continue to demonstrate through action, Leonardo’s ability and intention to deliver social value to New Zealand.
“As an international business, we recognise the strength of New Zealand’s engineering sector and wish to play our part in enhancing this area through innovative and sustainable partnerships, as evidenced today.”
Over the past year, Leonardo flew out seven of its trainees from the UK and Australia to visit more than 20 New Zealand schools to inspire students to take up engineering careers, Clarke said.
“The educational engagements highlighted the opportunities and possibilities that a career involved with engineering could bring to students, and help to influence the country’s future skills within the sector.”
Leonardo already has a considerable commercial and defence presence in New Zealand.
The Air Force operates five of its AgustaWestland A109 light utility and training helicopters, along with a simulator.
Auckland’s Westpac Rescue Helicopters has two Leonardo AW169s.
The AW159 Wildcat was developed by British-Italian helicopter firm AgustaWestland before it was merged into Leonardo. It is used by the British Army, Royal Navy, Republic of Korea Navy and Philippine Navy.
Leonardo said the twin-engine AW159 was able to “autonomously detect, identify and attack targets on land and at sea, including submarine threats”.
The Defence Force spokesman said despite the Seasprites’ difficulties there were no plans to ground them to save money as part of the Government’s cost-cutting.
“The Seasprites are an ageing fleet and with that, obsolescence issues can affect their availability,” he said.
“There is a rigorous maintenance regime to ensure we can maximise the planned training and operations.
“Despite the difficulties, the Seasprite fleet continues to meet its standby and operational tasking requirements.
“There are no plans to ground the fleet or adjust any aspect of the Seasprite output this year. They continue to be an important part of the naval combat capability and will see aircraft deployed with Royal New Zealand Navy ships throughout 2024.”
George Block is an Auckland-based reporter with a focus on police, the courts, prisons and defence. He joined the Herald in 2022 and has previously worked at Stuff in Auckland and the Otago Daily Times in Dunedin.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.