Defence will also begin market research this week into a separate, unarmed capability: long-range uncrewed aircraft systems for maritime surveillance.<\/p>\n
The Government has set aside up to $300 million for each project within the Defence Capability Plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n Penk said the purchases would be part of a wider effort to address historical underinvestment, and comes as the international security environment becomes “increasingly unpredictable”.<\/p>\n “We must ensure the New Zealand Defence Force can operate effectively, including alongside our partners, to deter potential threats and protect New Zealand\u2019s security.”<\/p>\n Defence Minister Chris Penk. (Source: Getty)<\/p>\n He also said the purchase was an economic opportunity, saying defence spending was increasingly viewed as a driver of skilled jobs and regional growth.<\/p>\n Penk pointed to New Zealand’s existing expertise<\/a> in advanced manufacturing, including digital technologies and uncrewed systems, as a reason to look to local suppliers.<\/p>\n “There is a growing number of businesses supporting Defence operations, including with firms developing drone and simulation technologies, and this is an opportunity to further locally led innovation.”<\/p>\n One-way strike drones have become a defining feature of modern warfare. <\/p>\n Russia and Ukraine have fired millions of them at each other since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, with Ukraine using domestically built long-range models to strike Russian energy infrastructure and military assets deep inside Russian territory<\/a> as part of its wider war effort. <\/p>\n![\"Defence](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/defence-minister-chris-penk-VFVLL3EFQRFOBO5BL637TYCR2M.jpg\")
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