**WELLINGTON, New Zealand** — Two Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) NH90 helicopters have successfully completed a record-breaking journey from Australia to New Zealand. This two-day flight involved each helicopter carrying two 1,100 lb external fuel tanks.
The helicopters departed from the Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley, located near Brisbane, and flew via Norfolk Island to RNZAF Base Auckland. The total distance covered was 1,765 miles over water. Notably, the longest segment of the journey spanned 660 miles, which took approximately four and a half hours to complete.
Both aircraft from 3 Squadron safely returned to RNZAF Base Ohakea on September 30. This flight surpassed the previous over-water record for RNZAF NH90s, which had been set just a month prior with a distance of 521 miles over the Coral Sea Basin between Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Air Commodore Andy Scott, New Zealand’s air component commander, emphasized the importance of this long-distance flight, highlighting its demonstration of the aircraft’s utility and the capability for self-deployment across vast areas. He remarked, “These types of flights give our crews confidence in the system.”
Wing Commander Chris Ross, the squadron’s commanding officer, noted that the flight allowed crews to develop valuable long-distance flying skills, calling it “a terrific achievement.”
The opportunity for this marathon flight had been anticipated for some time. Although the capability was signed off in 2023, the chance to execute such a flight had not previously materialized until this year, as explained by Squadron Leader Lachie Johnston, the NH90 flight commander. He stated, “We knew the aircraft could do it, and we knew the crews were appropriately trained.” Johnston added that while long-distance flights for helicopters are not uncommon, the current mission represents a unique capability due to the significant distances over large bodies of water.
The RNZAF selected the European-designed NH90 in 2005 to replace its UH-1 Iroquois helicopters. Since their introduction into service in 2015, eight NH90s have been operational, with an additional ninth helicopter serving as a spare.
**Author:** Nick Lee-Frampton, New Zealand correspondent for Defense News.
