Boeing has awarded Lufthansa Technik the contract for sustainment services in support of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s future fleet of four P-8A Poseidon aircraft.
On Monday (December 12, 2022), Boeing announced that they have Awarded Lufthansa Technik the contract to provide support services for the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) future fleet of four P-8A Poseidon aircraft. Under the contract, Lufthansa Technik will provide their Total Component Support (TCS) comprehensive suite of services for the 737-derivative aircraft, covering over 400 commercial-common parts. By leveraging the Boeing 737 commercial market in support of international P-8A customers, it will be easier for smaller operators to access the necessary global supply chain inventory supported by over 4,000 Boeing 737s operating today.
In Monday’s announcment, Boeing’s Vice President and General Manager – Government Services, Torbjorn ‘Turbo’ Sjogren, said,
“Our collaboration with Lufthansa Technik is a strong example of how industry can work together to solve customer challenges and maintain high readiness rates. Our goal is to expand service offerings from a strategic German industry partner for additional P-8A customers to benefit.”
Also commenting on the MRO collaboration, Boeing’s President – Germany, Michael Haidinger, said,
“Lufthansa Technik is a longstanding partner with a long history of supporting Boeing aircraft around the world. This new contract is a clear demonstration of our commitment to German industry and how we partner across the Atlantic and globally, shaping meaningful partnerships that ensure continued economic and industrial growth in Germany.”
Lufthansa Technik’s Vice President – Special Aircraft Services, Michael von Puttkamper, added,
“As a renowned expert for Special Mission aircraft and a leading maintenance, repair and overhaul provider with decades of experience in servicing commercial Boeing 737s, we are delighted to soon start servicing New Zealand’s Poseidon fleet. The strong partnership with Boeing enables us to offer the best possible service level over the entire life cycle of the aircraft. We are very much looking forward to further cooperation with our partners in Germany and beyond.”
Lufthansa Technik’s TCS program will allow the RMZAF to reduce investment in commercial common parts and improve readiness through the company’s global MRO supply chain. In 2021, Boeing and Lufthansa Technik signed a MOU to support Germany’s P-8A Poseidon fleet, which was later expanded to include ESG Elektroniksystem und Logistik GmbH in 2022.
The Government of New Zealand announced the purchase of four P-8A Poseidon aircraft in 2018 to replace their aging fleet of P-3K2 maritime patrol aircraft. The first aircraft was delivered in December 2022, while the remaining three will be delivered in 2023. Currently, 155 Boeing P-8A aircraft have been delivered or are in service worldwide. The versatile and capable aircraft has collectively flown over 450,000 mishap-free flight hours, in a range of mission roles such as anti-submarine warfare, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and search and rescue operations.
Source: Boeing