European air forces make flying visit to RNZAF Base Ōhakea

A Spanish air force A400M at RNZAF Base Ōhakea on Tuesday. Photo / NZ Defence Force

Operational German and Spanish military aircraft have touched down in New Zealand for the first time.

Aircraft belonging to the air forces of France, Germany and Spain arrived at Base Ōhakea on Tuesday as crew and personnel made a goodwill visit to the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

The three aircraft are A400M military turboprop transports, which carry out a range of air mobility tasks similar to those performed by New Zealand’s C-130 Hercules.

Deputy Chief of Air Force, Air Commodore DJ Hunt, said the Air Force rarely had the opportunity to host European aircraft and colleagues.

“This is a visit from three like-minded nations with whom New Zealand has established and friendly relations. We operate, at times, in Europe and we have great working relationships with our fellow aviators in these countries, so it is a real pleasure to welcome them to New Zealand and engage with them in our own country,” Hunt said.

“The visit will give us a chance to further build connections and develop interoperability with those countries – this is key to building a solid foundation for when we work together in the future.

“It is especially timely in that they are all fellow members of the Movements Coordination Centre Europe, which New Zealand joined earlier this year. This organisation provides its members access to the air transport of other nations and has broadened the scope of the air transport options available to the New Zealand Defence Force, for moving personnel and freight around the world, within Europe and in the Pacific.

“We have been warmly welcomed as a country that has strong relationships with the south-west Pacific nations and the visit will help build those links.”

The opportunity to visit arose through the multi-national exercise Pacific Skies 24, the deployment of elements of the French, German and Spanish air forces to the Indo-Pacific. The European air forces are in the region to engage with their partners and participate in exercises including Rimpac in Hawaii and Exercise Pitch Black in Australia’s Northern Territory.