
The New Zealand government on Monday approved a plan to acquire four Boeing [BA] P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft for $1.6 billion to replace its six legacy P-3K2 Orion aircraft.The Poseidons will be bought in a direct source procurement through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.The aircraft are scheduled to be delivered in 2023. The New Zealand Ministry of Defense said the current Orion fleet, which has operated since the 1960s, will reach the end of its operational life…