The PNGDF and Central Supply Tenders Board(CSTB) signed an agreement on Monday Feb 23 for the acquisition of a new aircraft that will be purchased and brought over from New Zealand .
In total there will be six aircrafts purchased under this contract arrangement at a cost of K8 million over a duration of five years.
The agreement will also see training facilitated by Pacific Aerospace to also cover training of pilots and ground crew for the new acquired planes.
CEO of Pacific Aerospace Damian Camp says the training will take place in Hamilton, New Zealand and will cover basic flight and maintenance requirements of the two types of planes.
In total there will be four PAC 750 planes and two CT 4 military trainer planes bought over under the package.
The PNGDF Commander Gilbert Toropo, when signing the agreement said that those planes will be very useful for PNGDF to assist with defence call out requirements.
He says the PAC 750 would be exceptional to land on our rugged short landing strips around the country.
Toropo says that this agreement is a real boost to the capability needs of the air element in the PNGDF.
Meanwhile, the first three air element officers have already been screened and are set to go down to New Zealand to begin training.
While the initial PAC 750 plane is set to be in the country before the end of the year.