Nicholas Jone
Replacement alternatives are being considered for ageing aircraft due to be retired in mid-2020s.
The military is considering using unmanned drones to patrol waters surrounding New Zealand.
At present, six Orion aircraft provide airborne surveillance, support for customs and police operations, search and rescue missions and disaster relief.
Illegal fishing and drug smuggling need to be watched for in New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is the fourth largest in the world and 20 times the country's land mass.
The Defence Force's P-3K2 Orions, which normally have a crew of 12 and also provide surveillance in the Pacific and Southern Ocean, are due to be retired from service in the mid-2020s.
A Defence spokesman told the Herald that a project examining replacement options was under way.
"It is still in the early capability definition phase. Remotely piloted vehicles will be considered as part of the project, along with piloted and space-based systems."
Australia will supplement the replacement of its own Orions with up to seven MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which have been under development by the United States Navy.
The drones, made by American firm Northrop Grumman, have the wingspan of a small airliner, weigh nearly 15,000kg and and are able to fly for more than 24 hours at a time.
State-of-the-art sensors provide a 360-degree view of surrounds, for more than 2000 nautical miles.
Read the full story at New Zealand Herald