Royal New Zealand Air Force (KIW, Auckland Whenuapai) has signed a six-year, lease-to-buy agreement with Air Lease Corporation for two A321-200NY(XLR)s for strategic troop and equipment transport, the military announced on November 21, 2025. The aircraft will directly replace two B757-200s that have an average age of 32.7 years. The new Airbus jets will begin arriving in 2028 and will be based at the RNZAF facility at Auckland International. The military said that the project costs NZD620 million New Zealand dollars (USD347.5 million), excluding NZD80.9 million (USD45.3 million) in operating costs over a four-year period.