New Zealand PM flies in Wildcat
April 25, 2025
New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, flew in a No.815 Squadron Wildcat to visit Knook Army Camp, where New Zealand trainers have worked alongside their British counterparts to help train more than 54,000 Ukrainian soldiers on Operation Interflex. During his flight Luxon was treated to views of landmarks like Stonehenge and the Bulford Kiwi.
The 486 ft wide Kiwi covers 1.5 acres, and is carved into the chalk side of Beacon Hill above the military town of Bulford on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire. It was created in 1919 by soldiers of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who were awaiting repatriation following the end of the First World War.
Leonardo is offering its AW159 Wildcat helicopter as a potential solution for the New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF’s) maritime helicopter replacement (MHR) programme. If successful, Leonardo will establish a Wildcat Support Centre (NZ) at the RNZAF base in Auckland in collaboration with local partners.
Leonardo is collaborating with New Zealand industry – including the development of Small to Medium Enterprises – through the signing of a set of comprehensive Memoranda of Understandings (MoU) on 20 March 2025. The MoUs outline technical and programme support, operations, maintenance and job creation, which will foster a symbiotic relationship as part of Leonardo’s AW159-based offer for the MHR programme.
Leonardo will work with Beca Applied Technologies, Core Aviation, Marops, Redfort Logistics Group and United Machinists, and will help to build resilience into the NZDF’s operations for the future by growing New Zealand’s industrial capability.
Adam Clarke, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters UK, commented: “The MoUs with local industry in New Zealand highlight Leonardo’s commitment to supporting the country’s aviation industry. This collaboration will help foster the long-term growth and sustainability of jobs through domestic companies that provide services, maintenance and technology capabilities for the New Zealand Defence Force with our AW159 Wildcat helicopter.”
The twin-engined, multi-role AW159 Wildcat has been proven in service with Navies around the world, and is capable of meeting and exceeding the demanding environmental and performance requirements of the Royal New Zealand Navy.
The AW159 can undertake a wide spectrum of missions ranging from air policing and EEZ protection to high-end warfighting. The high-performance helicopter has state-of-the-art systems, including a Leonardo Seaspray multi-mode electronically-scanning (E-scan) radar, and an integrated electronic warfare Defensive Aids Suite, and is fully network-enabled. The Wildcat has the ability to autonomously detect, identify and attack targets on land and at sea, including submarine threats.
