New Zealand has approved a plan to spend $1.4 billion (US dollars) over the next ten years to restructure its armed forces. Included in the plan are 308 new four-wheeled vehicles to replace the Army's Land Rovers, a multi-mission ship and three offshore patrol vessels able to operate a helicopter, 105 LAV-III armored personnel carriers (previously ordered), upgrades for the P-3K Orion patrol planes, upgrades or replacements for the C-130 transport planes, replacement of the UH-1H helicopter fleet, replacements for the Boeing-727 transport planes. A whole host of new weapons for the Army are to be purchased, including a direct-fire support weapon, a medium-range anti-armor weapon, new communications and intelligence systems, new engineering equipment, and a fleet of new
trucks.--Stephen V Cole