Robert Dougherty

ICAO found that Russia breached the prohibition under international law on the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight. The incident claimed the lives of 298 people in 2014.

The four-week deployment, announced late last month, will see the aircraft and crew carrying out airborne surveillance of the waters around east Asia to capture evidence of ship-to-ship transfers of resources used for the North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

NZ Minister of Defence Judith Collins, speaking at RNZAF Base Auckland, announced the large investment in New Zealand Defence Force operating funding ahead of the country’s 2025 Budget.

The Northrop Grumman-manufactured high altitude, long endurance, remotely piloted aircraft system, labelled online as United States military A57-002 (similar aircraft pictured), arrived at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory earlier this week.

Works began in early April on the large-scale infrastructure and facilities upgrade, which aims to bolster the base’s operational capacity, safety and resilience.

Bland Shire Council received more than $167,670 from the NSW government to repair and upgrade the plane including site works at Lions Park, concreting, paint stripping and re-painting.