I would like to point out that the P-3 Orion primary role is a sub hunter, and killer, they can launch torpedoes and depth charges and bombs etc... 

Quote; "The more our surveillance planes are geared for war-fighting, the less they'll be available for monitoring fisheries in the South Pacific and Antarctica. Much of the time they'll be off conducting anti-submarine exercises with the other Five Eyes nations, or flying alongside American planes in Middle Eastern surveillance missions."

Utter BS, however, we should have got 6 air-frames... as 4 planes can not be in 6 places at once... and age-old problem the NZDF, in general, has been facing. But I will also say that the DCP 2019 does state that another source of aerial surveillance, with either drones, satelite and or another platform.

I would also like to point out to those anti-defence people that the NZDF, The New Zealand Defence Force and the word Defence being the most important word in that phrase. To be able to defend you have to be able to the capability to fire back in anger. There is no if or buts on this issue. 

The thought of bringing a knife to a gunfight in defence is not a fair fight... however talking of money, the knife is cheaper and could defend you from someone throwing sand at you... but then the guy with the gun comes to defend the guy with the sand... The point is you can not skimp on defence and New Zealand has been for years. We have been left behind and we need to catch up... the P-8 is in the right direction.