Bleating starting to reach a crescendo.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12089992

The usual parade of pseudo-experts.The more I read about it - the more the P-8 sounds like the perfect aircraft for the RNZAF.
Powerful sensor suite, extended range, and the ability to arm up to counter advanced maritime surface and sub-surface threats of all kinds - only if needed.
Inter-operability with RAAF Tritons if needed, when they arrive.

EDIT - think I fixed the link.
You should see a summary of dissenting views over the last week.

EDIT - nope - I can't get that link to work...

link doesn't work.. but what lunatic would buy an MPA that couldn't be armed............... the same people who'd bleat about putting "our guys" in harms way I guess

I concur with tartare, NZ has a massive EEZ and this purchase proves it is at the very least serious about patrolling it. As for the bleating, don't waste your time or bandwidth reading it, I took the time so you don't have to and there's nothing worth reading. Just a bunch of ignorant armchair "defense experts" regurgitating the same BS every time the Govt tries to buy anything for the military. By way of comparison one roading project in Auckland will cost more than the P-8A buy, and that's just one (albeit the most expensive) of 130 projects the NZTA is administering.

Here you go Tartare - good link:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/a...ectid=12089992

You wonder about a military without a combat role.

The leftist view is that the military is there to help in times of floods, fire etc. In Oz we had a Labor gov spokesperson using precisely that reason as justification for our purchase of Chinooks, to drop hay to stranded livestock being cited.

more farmers votes than military ones...