NZ and US sign 'statement of intent' over military space operations

The New Zealand and United States militaries have signed a "statement of intent" over space operations.

The NZ Defence Force (NZDF) has few space assets of its own - although its capability plan envisages adding ground stations or a satellite - and relies heavily on the US.

Chief of the NZ Air Force Darryn Webb signed the new statement, along with United States Space Force head General Chance Saltzman.

The US Space Force says the signing reinforced the two side's cooperation, which was "critical to maintaining a decisive advantage in the current threat environment".

The NZDF said it covered future collaboration to advance the two countries' shared security interests in space.

Saltzman visited New Zealand last month after a Joint Heads of Pacific Security meeting in Brisbane.

Briefing notes for his visit - released to AUT law lecturer Dr Marco de Jong - said New Zealand had been able to demonstrate that a "small capability in relative terms, can contribute disproportionately to collective space activities".

New Zealand took up a US invite to join the elite space security body Operation Olympic Defender several years ago.

The body held talks at a Space Force symposium in Colorado in April, which looked at the pace of technology development including the deployment of "a range of counterspace weapons", according to the notes.

Counterspace weapons include lasers, electromagnetic jammers and satellites that can engage in "dog-fighting".

After it joined Olympic Defender, the NZDF resurrected its 62 Squadron to run space operations, and the unit played a "critical role" in an exercise called Operation Solene recently.

"New Zealand often receives strong signals of interest from other partners, including from Germany this year, in New Zealand hosting ground infrastructure for space domain awareness," said the notes for Saltzman's visit.