The New Zealand Ministry of Defence has released a request for proposals (RFP) to replace two ageing and increasingly unreliable B757-200s operated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force (KIW, Auckland Whenuapai) (RNZAF) with B737-8 or A321neo aircraft by the end of 2027.
The call, issued on December 19, 2024, asks qualified suppliers to participate in an open tender process to select a replacement airframe. The government is seeking "commercially available, off-the-shelf" aircraft of the two preidentified types.
The tender requests information on the aircraft platform type, delivery timeline, military registration, pathway to ownership, and deposit terms. Lessors will be required to provide purchase options. The ministry underlined that the current tender concerned only the aircraft and engines, while related services - such as maintenance, service support, or ancillary offerings - were outside its scope.
The RNZAF's pair of passenger-configured B757s, both over 31 years, have become the subject of widespread criticism after a series of recent breakdowns, including when a flight carrying Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and 30 business people on a trade mission to Japan had to divert to Brisbane International due to an inflight mechanical issue. An Air New Zealand (NZ, Auckland International) scheduled service from Auckland to Tokyo Narita diverted to pick the delegation up. New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins said at the time that the rolling B757 maintenance issues were becoming "embarrassing."
NZ7571 (msn 26633) and NZ7572 (msn 26634) were both initially delivered to Transavia Airlines in 1993. They have been in service with RNZAF since 2003.
“We have new military leadership and a defence capability review underway," Luxon commented. “The B757 replacement will be a component of that and the Defence Force is working on that, and will continue to do so... with pace."
The deadline for submissions is January 23, 2025.
