Wellington, New Zealand. The United States has approved a possible $1.5 billion sale of five Seahawk maritime helicopters and related equipment to New Zealand. The approval comes as Wellington pursues plans to nearly double military spending to strengthen its defence capabilities.
US approval announced
The U.S. Department of State said on Friday that it had approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of New Zealand for MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopters and related equipment.
In a statement published on its website, the department said the proposed sale would improve New Zealand’s ability to address current and future warfare threats by providing greater security for critical infrastructure. It added that New Zealand would use the enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland defense.
Part of broader defence plan
The purchase of the Seahawk helicopters, made by Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky unit, forms part of a 2025 plan by New Zealand’s centre-right government to increase defence spending by NZ$9 billion ($5 billion) over four years.
Under that plan, defence spending is set to nearly double to 2% of gross domestic product within eight years. Last month, Wellington allocated NZ$1.58 billion ($916 million) in new defence funding as it upgrades the country’s forces.
Regional and alliance context
Under President Donald Trump, the United States has been urging allies in Europe and the Asia-Pacific to raise military spending. New Zealand, a close ally of neighbouring Australia, has been increasingly deploying across East Asia in support of Western militaries and their partners amid China’s rapid military rise.
Luxon reaffirms spending commitment
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Saturday that the government remained committed to increasing defence spending after what he described as 30 years of underinvestment in New Zealand’s defence forces.
Speaking in televised remarks from Queensland, Australia, where he is attending an annual bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Luxon said New Zealand had moved from a benign environment to a much more globally strategically competitive one and that doubling defence spending was appropriate.
