UNCLASSIFIED
New Zealand Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade
Manatū Aorere
195 Lambton Quay
2 February 2026
Private Bag 18−901
Wellington 6160
New Zealand
T +64 4 439 8000
F +64 4 472 9596
V Tempsky
OIA 30566
[FYI request #32930 email]
Tēnā koe V Tempsky
Thank you for your email of 20 November 2025, in which you request the following
under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA):
“1. What advice has MFAT provided on the size of VIP, diplomatic and trade
delegations, and destination and routing requirements, as part of the consideration
for replacement of RNZAF 757 aircraft since 2021?
2. For the same, what advice was provided prior to the 2019 Defence Capability
Plan?
3. For the same, what advice was provided prior to the 2014 request for
information on air mobility capability issued by the Ministry of Defence?
To assist in considering this request, these factors were proactively released upon
selection of the 757 aircraft in 2003, and their predecessors (727), in 1981. There
is clear precedent.”
On 12 December 2025, the timeframes for responding to your request were extended by
an additional 16 working days due to the consultations necessary to make a decision on
your request (section 15A(1)(b) of the OIA refers).
The Ministry of Defence process on air mobility requirements, and Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Trade’s (MFAT) input into these processes, do not align with the specific
dates you identified. We have interpreted your request to be for any information that
MFAT provided to the Ministry of Defence or the New Zealand Defence Force on MFATs
requirements for air mobility (specifically size of VIP, diplomatic and trade delegations,
and destination routing requirements) between 2003 and now.
The following documents are in scope of parts one and two of your request. Some
information is withheld under section 6(a) of the OIA to avoid prejudicing the security or
defence of New Zealand or the international relations of the New Zealand Government:
UNCLASSIFIED
Page 2 of 3
Document Title
Date
Decision
Future Air Mobility Capability (FAMC) 1 January 2023
Released with redactions -
Legacy External User Requirements
s6(a)
Endorsed at Jan 23 (MFAT SECTION)
Email, MFAT’s air transport needs
16 August 2016
Released with redactions -
from NZDF
s6(a)
In accordance with section 16(1)(e) of the OIA, the following documents contained
excerpts which are in scope of parts one and two of your request.
We have chosen to
provide the relevant excerpts from these documents in
Appendix one.
Document Title
Date
Excerpt
New Zealand Defence Force Air
1 May 2017
Excerpt A
Capabilities
Future Air Mobility Capability –
27 January 2017
Excerpt B
replacing the C-130 and B-757
aircraft
Part three of your request is refused under section 18(e) of the OIA, as the information
does not exist, or despite best efforts to locate it, cannot be found.
Please note that it is our policy to proactively release our responses to official
information requests where possible. Therefore, our response to your request (with your
personal information removed) may be published on the Ministry website:
www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/contact-us/official-information-act-responses/
If you have any questions about this decision, you can contact us by email at:
[email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the
Ombudsman of this decision by contacting
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone
0800 802 602.
Nāku noa, nā
Owen Thornber
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Page 3 of 3
Annex One: Excerpts
Excerpt A: NZDF Air Capabilities
Excerpt B: Future Air Mobility Capability
Document Outline
