New Zealand Defence Force to retire P-3 Orion planes 5 months early By Lucy Craymer

A Royal New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion aircraft prepares to take-off from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Pearce Base to join the search for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in Perth March 23, 2014. REUTERS/Greg Wood/Pool/File Photo

WELLINGTON, Dec 13 (Reuters) – New Zealand Defence Force on Tuesday said it would retire its five P-3K2 Orion aircraft five months earlier than planned due to staff shortages, leaving it short of planes to undertake search and surveillance operations in the short term.

The Orion aircraft are due to be replaced by new Boeing (BA.N) P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, with the first arriving in New Zealand on Tuesday. WELLINGTON, Dec 13 (Reuters) – New Zealand Defence Force on Tuesday said it would retire its five P-3K2 Orion aircraft five months earlier than planned due to staff shortages, leaving it short of planes to undertake search and surveillance operations in the short term.

The Orion aircraft are due to be replaced by new Boeing (BA.N) P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, with the first arriving in New Zealand on Tuesday. However, the retiring of the fleet leaves New Zealand with a shortage of capability until these come online.

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