The Air Force's ageing Hercules aircraft are set to be replaced with five brand new Super Hercules planes at a cost of more than $1 billion.
The upgrade of the 50-year-old jets was the highest priority project for the coalition government's Defence Capability Plan.
The Ministry of Defence has outlined spending of more than $20 billion to upgrade New Zealand's defence capabilities over the next decade.
Ron Mark is the Minister of Defence.
