New Zealand Buys Five MH-60R Seahawk Helicopters: Cost, Weapons and Delivery Date

New Zealand has signed a government-to-government agreement with the United States to buy five Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk maritime helicopters, with deliveries starting in 2030. The Ministry of Defence announced the deal on 16 October 2026 and put the total project at NZ$1.648 billion in capital spending, plus an average of NZ$110 million a year in operating funding over the next ten years. The Seahawks will replace the Royal New Zealand Navy’s ageing SH-2G(I) Seasprite fleet.

Last updated: 17 October 2026

Key facts

Buyer: New Zealand Ministry of Defence, via US Foreign Military Sales
Quantity: 5 MH-60R Seahawk helicopters (ordered, not yet delivered)
Deliveries: from 2030
Capital cost: NZ$1,648 million for the whole project
Operating funding: NZ$110 million a year on average over 10 years
Replaces: SH-2G(I) Seasprite

What did New Zealand sign?

According to the Ministry of Defence statement, the agreement with the US government covers the five helicopters “and associated systems and weapons”, along with spares and equipment. Money has also been set aside for infrastructure design and for temporary facilities to house the aircraft at RNZAF Base Auckland in Whenuapai. The ministry said later decisions in the programme are expected to cover permanent infrastructure, training systems and “complementary uncrewed aerial systems”.

The NZ$1.648 billion figure is a project total. It includes far more than five airframes, so it should not be read as a price per helicopter.

How the deal reached this point

The government announced on 21 August 2025 that it would negotiate for five MH-60Rs through the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system rather than run an open competition, the ministry’s project page shows. The US State Department then approved a possible sale on 5 June 2026 under Transmittal 26-37, with an estimated value of US$1.5 billion. That notification is a ceiling for the most the package could include, not the contract price. The signed Letter of Offer and Acceptance followed in October, as Defence Industry Europe and Aviation Week also reported.

US Navy MH-60R Seahawk helicopter in flight — A US Navy MH-60R Seahawk of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 70 in flight. Photo: U.S. Navy / MC3 Joshua Card (public domain, via Wikimedia Commons).

What is the MH-60R Seahawk?

The MH-60R is a naval version of the Black Hawk family built by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company. It flies from frigates and destroyers to hunt submarines and attack surface ships, and it also handles search and rescue and moves people and cargo between ship and shore. Our MH-60R Seahawk profile covers its history, sensors and variants in more depth.

New Zealand’s ministry publishes these figures for the aircraft:

Item	MH-60R figure (NZ MoD)
Manufacturer	Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Lockheed Martin)
Length	19.76 m
Maximum speed	333 km/h (180 kt)
Range	963 km (520 nmi)
Cargo (utility role)	1,500+ kg
Crew	3
Weapons	Mk 54 torpedo, AGM-114 Hellfire, crew-served machine guns, APKWS rockets

What is in the US-approved package?

The State Department notice lists the main items New Zealand asked for: five helicopters, seven Link 16 data-link terminals (five installed, two spare), five airborne low-frequency dipping sonars, five digital magnetic anomaly detectors, 225 APKWS laser-guided rockets with 225 WGU-59A/B guidance sections, 65 AGM-114R Hellfire missiles and five M240D machine guns. It also names the APS-153(V) radar, the AN/ALQ-210 electronic support system, the AN/AAS-44C(V) targeting sensor and T700-GE-401D engines. The principal contractor is Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems in Owego, New York. Final quantities in a notified package can be lower than the approved ceiling.

Why is New Zealand replacing the Seasprite?

The Seasprite fleet has struggled. Australian Defence Magazine reported in July 2024 that the New Zealand Defence Force had cut the number of operational SH-2G(I) helicopters from eight to five in a sustainment programme launched in mid-2023, using the other three as a source of spare parts. The same report put fleet availability at 17% in 2022 and 19% in 2023, down from 38% in 2019, and said the fleet flew 429 hours in 2024 against an expected 850. The Seasprites are operated for the navy by the air force’s No. 6 Squadron at Whenuapai.

The ministry says the MH-60R is faster and can fly further from a ship than the current helicopter, which extends how far New Zealand’s frigates can see and strike. It also stresses interoperability with Australia, whose navy already flies the type.

What were the alternatives?

When New Zealand issued a request for information in April 2023, the contenders named by Australian Defence Magazine were the MH-60R, Leonardo’s AW159 Wildcat, the NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter from Airbus Helicopters (see our NH90 guide) and a Bell 412-based multi-mission helicopter. Wellington eventually went straight to the MH-60R through FMS. A larger European option in the same naval role is the AW101 Merlin, though it is a much heavier aircraft than a frigate like New Zealand’s Anzac class normally embarks.

The ministry’s own explanation for the choice is commonality: it says the MH-60R is used by Australia, the US “and 7 other countries”, which gives New Zealand a large shared pool of spares, training and upgrades instead of another small, orphaned fleet. For a wider look at the US Navy’s rotary fleet, see what helicopters the US military has.

What happens next?

Production and crew training come first; the helicopters themselves arrive from 2030. Until then the five remaining Seasprites have to keep flying. Infrastructure at Whenuapai, training systems and uncrewed aircraft to work alongside the Seahawks are separate decisions still to come, according to the ministry.

Frequently asked questions

How many MH-60R helicopters is New Zealand buying?

Five, under a government-to-government agreement with the United States announced on 16 October 2026.

When will New Zealand receive the MH-60R?

The Ministry of Defence says deliveries begin in 2030.

How much does New Zealand’s MH-60R project cost?

NZ$1.648 billion in capital for the whole project, plus an average of NZ$110 million a year in operating funding over ten years. The US State Department’s June 2026 approval was estimated at up to US$1.5 billion. Neither figure is a unit price.

What helicopter does the MH-60R replace in New Zealand?

The Kaman SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite, flown from the navy’s ships by the air force’s No. 6 Squadron.

What weapons will New Zealand’s Seahawks carry?

The approved US package includes AGM-114R Hellfire missiles, APKWS laser-guided rockets and M240D machine guns, and the ministry lists the Mk 54 torpedo among the type’s weapons.