The New Zealand military has begun replacing its medium-heavy trucks with a new fleet of German- made vehicles off the same production line as those for the British army, New Zealand Defense Minister Jonathan Coleman said Wednesday.

The first batch from an order of 194 trucks, purchased from Rheinmetall-MAN at a cost of 113 million NZ dollars (97.25 million US dollars) in May last year, had been delivered to New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) units, Coleman said in a statement.

The total package included armor protection kits, weapons mounts, a range of specialist equipment, spare parts, logistic support arrangements, and training packages, worth a total 135 million NZ dollars (116.18 million US dollars).

The government achieved a fast delivery and ensured value for money by purchasing the trucks off the same production line as Britain, and was looking for similar opportunities in future military procurement, he said.

"The new Rheinmetall-MAN military medium and heavy vehicles are a significant step up in capability for the NZDF, replacing the old Unimog and Mercedes trucks. They are designed for modern military operations and offer better mobility, better protection, enhanced technology, and greater capacity," he said.

"The new trucks are part of a wider program of equipment upgrades and investment into navy, army and air force frontline capabilities."

A total of 93 new trucks had been delivered to the NZDF to date and they will be rolled out to units later this year once personnel complete driver and maintenance training.

The new trucks are coming in three sizes and all are expected to be in service next year.