New Air Force helicopters could this week be flying over New Zealand for the first time.
Two Augusta Westland 109 choppers arrived last month from the Italian factory where they went through final fit out and test flights.
They have been reassembled at Ohakea Air Base in Manawatu, and put through operational tests and evaluation.
They may have their first test flight over Ohakea this week, weather permitting, the air force said.
The A109s were the first of five which will replace the ageing fleet of Sioux training helicopters, which first flew with the air force 46 years ago.
The Bell 47G-B1 Sioux were similar to the aircraft made famous in the M*A*S*H television series about the Korean war. The A109 was "very much a 21st century aircraft compared to its Sioux counterpart. It's a lightweight, twin-engine helicopter with a modern glass cockpit and a retractable wheeled undercarriage." the air force said.
The new machines would be used for training before pilots converted to the fleet of NH90 machines which are to replace the Iroquois, or the navy's Seasprite helicopters.
The A109 would also be used in other light utility work - passenger transport, surveillance, observation and reconnaissance, search and rescue - and would support other Government agencies.
The A109s come with a flight simulator, can be fitted with a door gun and winch, and have a top speed of 300kmh.
