New Zealand has signed up for another two years to an elite US-led space security group that America is aiming to expand and make more combat ready.
The Defence Force joined the seven-nation Operation Olympic Defender group in 2024 and has now signed up to till 2028 saying it is about making space safe and secure.
The US agrees but adds it is also about being able to defeat adversaries and be “superior” in space especially over China.
The Pentagon this month for the first time confirmed it had deployed weapons in space. This comes as the Trump Administration moves to build a Golden Dome missile-defence system.
Increased ‘integration’
Olympic Defender initially focused on the seven countries’ space forces sharing information but this year – dubbed the “year of integration” by US Space Force – it has got to the point they can do space operations together.
Congress wants the group to expand and has asked what policy changes the governments of Japan and South Korea would need to make in order to be invited in.
Leading commentators say a growing challenge is how NZ can retain command sovereignty when AI defence tech is increasingly integrated.
The NZDF earlier told RNZ that references by US Space Command to increased “integration” and multinational structures reflected closer coordination and information-sharing among partners “rather than any change to New Zealand’s authority or role”.
“NZDF personnel may participate in collaborative planning forums and shared awareness initiatives; however, these do not constitute binding multinational command arrangements.
“New Zealand retains full sovereignty and decision-making authority at all times.”
‘Unify space operations’
The US is typically more bullish than NZ in describing joint defence initiatives.
Its Space Command has emphasised throughout 2026 that space is a warfighting domain and that allied integration is fundamental to maintaining space superiority.
“We are formalising multinational orders and decision-making structures [within Olympic Defender] to ensure our combined forces are postured to deter aggression and defeat adversaries,” it said recently.
It also added it was working to reduce “potential adversaries’ space-enabling infrastructure and influence in the Western Hemisphere and around the world.”
The head of Olympic Defender’s operational arm S4S, which NZ also supports, recently said the bottom line is the mission at S4S which was “to enhance blue kill chains, make them more effective, and to break red kill chains – to keep the enemy from using their space capabilities against us.”
Olympic Defender has been working on a concept of operations and campaign plan to “unify space operations” by next year.
Top New Zealand defence chiefs have discussed the increase of threats in space with US Space Command and how this country’s location is useful.
‘Clear permissions’
NZ will retain its sole officer at US Space Command in Colorado to support Olympic Defender.
They “have clear permissions as to what mission types they are able to be tasked to support”, the NZDF said earlier this year.
It said on Friday that being in the elite group improved expertise and relationships and helped safeguard crucial services.
“Olympic Defender is designed to support the security, sustainability and resilience of the space domain by coordinating member nations’ space capabilities and enhancing space domain awareness.”
Cabinet papers from 2024 said it was about “promoting safe and sustainable behaviours in space” while noting space was “important for the success of modern military operations”.
Satellites have become key to targeting and tracking missiles including through Maven Smart Systems used in the Iran war.
An Olympic Defender operation this year repositioned a US satellite to examine a UK satellite. The operation was centred on an aircraft carrier strike group in the Indo-Pacific, and the NZ Navy had a frigate join in, with the NZDF saying the wider exercise was about building “combat readiness”.
China protested this month at the US confirming it had put weapons in space.
“We urge the US side to stop expanding its military force and preparing for war in outer space,” it said.
“Why must the US control space?” China asked earlier.
Science deal
New Zealand has at the same time signed an agreement to boost defence science cooperation with Australia.
The signing during a Five Eyes tech principals meeting hosted by New Zealand last week, formalises collaboration between the Defence Science and Technology unit and Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group.
A focus will be “experimentation, wargaming and interoperability initiatives”.
The two sides recently agreed to aim to have a fully integrated force that has interchangeable capabilities by 2035.
Australia has been pushing on strongly with drones and missiles lately, building on trade advantages it has gained with the US and UK under AUKUS Pillar Two.