Eighth new air ambulance helicopter enters service as fleet upgrade continues
Last Updated on August 12, 2026
Hawke’s Bay has become the latest region to receive a replacement air ambulance helicopter, with the new aircraft marking the eighth to enter service since early 2024 under a government-funded upgrade of New Zealand’s emergency helicopter fleet, which included a new machine for Auckland.
Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced the milestone, saying the new Airbus H145 D3 helicopter, operated by Search and Rescue Services Limited in Hawke’s Bay, follows earlier replacements in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Greater Wellington, Nelson/Tasman, Canterbury and the West Coast.
According to Beehive.govt.nz, the government has put $27.3 million into the programme across 2024 and 2025, funding 16 newer aircraft to replace ageing helicopters used by air ambulance services around the country. Costello said that in 2024, New Zealand’s helicopter fleet was the oldest in the developed world, and the investment was intended to address that.
What the new aircraft offer
The minister said the newer helicopters bring a range of practical improvements over the machines they’re replacing: better safety margins, more reliable service, stronger performance in poor weather, lower maintenance costs, improved fuel efficiency and better overall operational performance.
The Hawke’s Bay helicopter specifically features enhanced automation and improved handling in difficult conditions, along with better onboard patient care capability than the aircraft it replaces. Costello said it would strengthen the region’s air ambulance response, covering patients with life-threatening conditions, people who cannot be reached by road ambulance, and critically ill patients needing inter-hospital transfer with specialist intensive care teams on board.
Auckland’s helicopter already replaced
Auckland was among the first regions to get a new aircraft under the programme, with its replacement helicopter entering service before Hawke’s Bay’s. For Aucklanders who rely on air ambulance response, particularly in situations where road access is difficult or time-critical transfers are needed, the upgrade is already in place locally, ahead of many other parts of the country.
More replacements due by mid-2026
Costello said a further eight replacement helicopters are expected to begin operating in the remaining parts of the North Island and in Christchurch by June next year, completing the rollout of all 16 aircraft funded under the programme.
“People working in our air ambulance service do an incredible job and the investment to upgrade our helicopter fleet is helping to ensure best outcomes for everyone,” she said.
Source: Beehive.govt.nz.
