Middle East conflict: Air Force Hercules flying out today for humanitarian mission

The Air Force is sending a C-130J Hercules overseas in case New Zealanders need to be evacuated from Middle East war zones.

The aircraft is expected to leave RNZAF Auckland Base at Whenuapai today, probably shortly after midday.

It will join another Hercules already in Asia after earlier activities in South Korea.

Minister of Defence Judith Collins this morning said the Defence Force deployment was for consular and humanitarian purposes.

“They’re not going fully armed or anything like that. We’re just trying to get Kiwis out, and that’s our job.

“We’re not having to get ourselves involved in the war in any other way.”

The aircraft’s route and destination, or destinations, are not being disclosed.

“We work with a range of partners, and we’re not going to go [into] details, but we’re in constant contact with our Australian friends, with various other friends around the area,” Collins said.

The aircraft was being loaded up at Whenuapai this morning.

Wing Commander Brad Scott, the commanding officer for 40 Squadron, addressed media today after Collins.

He said the aircraft was capable of carrying out diverse tasks.

Scott said the C-130J-30 Super Hercules and crew would be confronting a “dynamic” situation.

Wing Commander Brad Scott says the Defence Force will be confronting a dynamic situation. Photo / John Weekes

Personnel on this mission will not be armed and the aircraft is not armed.

But Scott said: “There is an option for self-protection systems.”

He said the journey would take several days.

Scott was asked if any Middle Eastern nations had already given permission for the Hercules to land.

“C-130 support will be reliant on foreign government approvals. Those have yet to be received.”

Manufacturer Lockheed Martin said the aircraft had a range of 3889km at maximum normal payload.

Australia was well within that range.

With a smaller payload, such as 18 tonnes, it had a range of 4425km.

The Middle Eastern mainland is further than that from the Australian mainland.

‘Complex’ situation

Collins said the situation in the Middle East was changing by the hour.

“It’s pretty jolly complex ... Our people need to be able to deploy from an area closer to the Middle East.

“We are trusting in the people who know what they’re doing on the ground as well as back here to make those decisions.”

She said 3430 New Zealanders had registered with SafeTravel.

“So the consular services are contacting those people now to see what their needs are,” she said at Whenuapai.

“And of course, some people want to remain in place, and I absolutely understand that.

“And for them, it might be exactly the right decision, but for others, they may just want to come home.”

The Government on Thursday said it had been in discussions with commercial airlines, including about charter options.

Collins said she had not personally had discussions with airlines, but she understood airlines were struggling with some of the challenges the war had presented.

“They’ll have passengers who want to go on planes, and they’ll have passengers who suddenly decide, no, I don’t want to go on a plane at the moment with missiles in the air.

“So, I understand they’re in a difficult situation too.”

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