{"id":438597,"date":"2026-05-21T16:31:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T16:31:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/438597\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T16:31:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T16:31:11","slug":"air-force-chief-picks-grey-livery-for-new-rnzaf-aircraft-after-67k-design-hunt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/438597\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Force chief picks grey livery for new RNZAF aircraft after $67k design hunt"},"content":{"rendered":"

The two new planes will replace the two beleaguered Boeing 757s in service with the RNZAF since 2003, which have a habit of breaking down. <\/p>\n

\"TheThe final livery chosen by the Chief of Air Force. Photo \/ NZDF<\/p>\n

The aircraft are mainly used for troop and cargo movement, but are best known for their role in transporting the Prime Minister and ministers around the world and assisting with royal visits. <\/p>\n

The new aircraft are scheduled to arrive in 2028 and will have significantly longer range and fuel efficiency, able to fly from Wellington to Singapore directly.<\/p>\n

According to documents obtained by Newstalk ZB, five days after the order was announced by then Defence Minister Judith Collins, officials met with the Webb to consider livery options. <\/p>\n

Notes from that meeting show the Air Force chief wanted to steer clear of metallic colours and keep branding away from dirty areas of the plane. <\/p>\n

\"ThisThis design was classed as a “hybrid” option, with a M\u0101ori cloak design and a te reo translation on the fuselage.<\/p>\n

He had a preference for a grey or subdued colour scheme \u2013 no lighter than the existing 757s, but no darker than the C130 Hercules.<\/p>\n

He was also worried about prominently displaying a fern, wanting to keep any design distinct from Air New Zealand.<\/p>\n

The design group presented three types of designs: \u201cnationalist\u201d, \u201cmilitary\u201d or \u201chybrid\u201d.<\/p>\n

These included different colours, fonts, tail designs, and writing, including dual English and Te Reo M\u0101ori text. <\/p>\n

\"ThisThis “hybrid” option has a black tail featuring a Southern Cross.<\/p>\n

The designers first presented options of all three types, before a further design booklet with solely \u201cmilitary\u201d designs.<\/p>\n

Most designs were focused on RNZAF symbols, with options prominently displaying the No 40 Squadron marking, the RNZAF emblem, trim with \u201cdark Air Force yellow\u201d, and the New Zealand flag.<\/p>\n

A final proposal was then presented, using military grey, a tail with the No 40 Squadron marking, and the RNZAF emblem on the fuselage.<\/p>\n

Only a small New Zealand flag was included, to the left of the forward door.<\/p>\n

\"ThisThis “military” design was inspired by the New Zealand flag, with dark blue text and engine paint.<\/p>\n

The final design was chosen by the Chief of Air Force himself, with neither Collins, Prime Minister Chris Luxon, nor the Cabinet consulted. They were informed of the plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cA range of options were considered before settling on the grey with a prominent Kiwi roundel, sending a clear signal that they are military aircraft and are also instantly recognisable as being from New Zealand, no matter the environment,\u201d an NZDF spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

Most developed economies across the globe own or lease aircraft for use by heads of state and senior government officials, typically operated by the country\u2019s Air Force. <\/p>\n

\"ThisThis was the only white option presented, with the Number 40 Squadron marking on the tail.<\/p>\n

Many of these planes prominently display the flag of the country, such as Britain\u2019s Airbus Voyager, a modified A330, or Israel\u2019s Wing of Zion, a Boeing 767.<\/p>\n

The best-known is the United States\u2019 Air Force One, currently sporting a light-blue colour scheme.<\/p>\n

That aircraft will be replaced shortly with a new 747 with a livery of red, white, gold and dark blue and a larger US flag, chosen by President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n

\"AnAn option using the “Air Force dark yellow” on the engines and wing tips.<\/p>\n

Australia owns two Boeing Business Jets (BBJs), modified 737s used for VIP transport. These are emblazoned with \u201cThe Royal Australian Air Force\u201d, with a blue and red streak and a large Australian flag.<\/p>\n

New Zealand is unusual in mainly using its designated VIP transport for cargo and troop movements.<\/p>\n

\"AnotherAnother livery option for the NZDF’s new A321XLR aircraft.<\/p>\n

Some photographs have been digitally altered to remove watermarks.<\/p>\n

Ethan Griffiths is a political reporter with Newstalk ZB, based in the parliamentary press gallery. He joined NZME as a print journalist in 2020, previously working as an Open Justice reporter in the Bay of Plenty and Wellington, and as a general reporter in Whanganui.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The two new planes will replace the two beleaguered Boeing 757s in service with the RNZAF since 2003,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":438598,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[224237,74,68,31844,3937,224238,31742,501,8459,18940,2082,5760,8223,52088,10937,13458,141262,130,2720,117,111,43,139,69,14725,5202,27560,176639,131,3608,80],"class_list":["post-438597","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-67k","tag-after","tag-air","tag-aircraft","tag-chief","tag-cloaks","tag-considered","tag-design","tag-designs","tag-flag","tag-for","tag-force","tag-forces","tag-grey","tag-hunt","tag-inspired","tag-livery","tag-more","tag-mori","tag-new","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-options","tag-part","tag-picks","tag-rnzaf","tag-than","tag-were","tag-zealand"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438597","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=438597"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438597\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/438598"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=438597"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=438597"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=438597"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}