The Royal New Zealand Air Force No. 3 Squadron has reached a significant milestone when aircraft TNZA002 officially became the world's first NH90 to surpass 3,000 flight hours.

Achieving this global record from a base of just eight aircraft is a true testament to operational excellence and team dedication. From establishing emergency air bridges after the Kaikōura earthquake to roof rescues during Cyclone Gabrielle, RNZAF crews consistently test the full capabilities of this platform.

Airbus Helicopters has worked directly alongside RNZAF personnel at Base Ohakea with their embedded maintenance team working shoulder to shoulder with Air Force mechanics, helping maintain an exceptional fleet serviceability rate of around 75 percent, setting the standard for NH90 operations worldwide.

The world record is not a matter of product age, as older NH90 airframes continue to fly across Europe, but rather a reflection of pure operational intensity. Fifteen years after the first two NH90s arrived in New Zealand in 2011 to replace the Air Force's ageing Iroquois fleet, the Kiwis fly each aircraft harder and more frequently than any other operator.

“It's a significant achievement for what is a small fleet and small team,” NH90 Flight Commander Squadron Leader Lachie Johnston said. “We need to always have these aircraft available to fly and it's a testament to the maintainers, who put in the long days in often trying conditions to get the helicopters flying, as well as the supply chain, and the fleet planners. They are the secret sauce to our success.”

The New Zealand NH90 fleet is unique, as it supports a broad range of both civil and military missions. From tactical troop transport, SAR, casualty evacuation, and support for police and government agencies, to complex alpine tasks, maritime deployments off HMNZS Canterbury and humanitarian disaster relief across the Pacific, the fleet is in constant demand. This extraordinary rate of effort has been repeatedly demonstrated during some of the nation's most severe natural disasters.