Building on the enduring Anzac partnership, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Space Command and the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) have strengthened their commitment to cooperation in the space domain through the formal endorsement of a bilateral Space Vision Statement.
The agreement was signed by Commander Space Command Major General Greg Novak and RNZAF Air Component Commander Air Commodore Andy Scott.
“Relationships with our allies and partners are foundational to realising Defence’s space domain aspirations,” Major General Novak said.
“These inaugural talks with our New Zealand counterparts reaffirmed the depth and breadth of our shared Anzac interests in space and space operations. I look forward to taking this important work forward in partnership with the RNZAF.”
The statement recognises the vital role of space in contemporary military operations, enabling critical capabilities across communications, navigation, intelligence, surveillance, and command and control, while reinforcing the importance of closer bilateral cooperation.
Its endorsement follows the inaugural Australia-New Zealand space talks held in New Zealand last month, where representatives identified opportunities to enhance personnel interchangeability, capability integration and operational readiness.
The discussions highlighted the increasing reliance on space-enabled capabilities and the value of closer defence cooperation in supporting collective security objectives.
Air Commodore Scott said space operations represented one of the fastest-growing areas of military capability development.
“Military space operations is a rapidly expanding area of development, and we will be working closely with our ally Australia to establish new standards for international defence collaboration,” Air Commodore Scott said.
As the strategic environment continues to evolve, the Space Vision Statement reflects Australia and New Zealand’s shared commitment to maximising collective capability, strengthening interoperability and safeguarding shared interests across the space domain.
