Boeing Co. has signed a Total Component Support (TCS) deal with Lufthansa Technic for sustainment services to the Royal New Zealand Air Force's (RNZAF) growing fleet of Boeing P-8A aircraft. Lufthansa Technic' TCS services will enable the RNZAF to reduce its investment in aircraft parts as the programme for the 737 covers over 400 commercial common parts included in the configuration of the P-8A, a military derivative of the popular 737 commercial airliner.
The agreement will also improve aircraft readiness through the RNZAF having access to the German company's maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) global supply chain. Boeing and Lufthansa Technik signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) back in 2021 to support Germany's P-8A Poseidon fleet, which was then expanded this year to a three-party agreement that now includes ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH.
In July 2018, the government of New Zealand announced the purchase of four P-8A Poseidon aircraft which will replace its aging fleet of P-3K2 maritime patrol aircraft. The first P-8A was delivered this month, with three remaining aircraft due to be delivered in 2023. The P-8A is essential element for global anti-submarine warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and search-and-rescue operations.
