Access to space systems 'critical on the modern battlefield'

The Defence Minister has announced an unprecedented half a billion dollars or more to spend on space operations as part of a new high-tech military push.

The defence capability plan envisages $300-$600m of spending till 2029 for systems "that plug into partner networks to understand what is happening in space, especially to identify activities that might pose a risk to New Zealand's interests".

Access to space systems had become "critical on the modern battlefield", including for targeting, and to operate drones, it said.

The US is New Zealand's biggest space partner. Launches for the US satellite spy agency NRO (National Reconnaissance Office) have taken place from Mahia.

At the same time, Judith Collins was to sit down this week at a Colorado space symposium with US space commanders who in recent days called for more weapons in space.

"It's time that we can clearly say that we need 'space fires', and we need weapon systems," one of them, General Stephen Whiting, told the symposium on Tuesday.

"We need orbital interceptors. And what do we call these? We call these weapons, and we need them to deter a space conflict and to be successful if we end up in such a fight."

Collins was also expected to meet Whiting's boss, the head of US Space Force, General Chance Salzman, who has just unveiled an aggressive inaugural American doctrine on space warfighting, as well as warned lawmakers China was racing forwards. She had talks with both Saltzman and Whiting at the 2024 symposium.

"Space is a warfighting domain," Saltzman wrote in the new space doctrine's foreword.

"We do not merely provide support functions - we also employ military force to achieve space superiority."

Asked by Nine to Noon before she left for the US on Tuesday if getting closer to America's 'space guardians' - the term Space Force uses for its members instead of 'marines' - might put a target on New Zealand's back, Collins said no.

"No. Last year Putin was talking about letting off a nuclear device in space. That would've taken us out whether we liked it or not.

"I don't think New Zealand's a target by itself, we're not the great [indistinct] people are after, but we do need to have good friends and we do need to be able to defend ourselves as much as we can."

The new $12 billion defence capability plan is in part a response to geopolitical tensions primarily arising from growing great power competition in the Indo-Pacific between the US and China.

One aim of the plan is more combat and strike force, including missiles, possibly long-range ones in the years after 2029.

The capability plan said modern militaries relied on services from space.

"Space systems enable precision on the battlefield."

Money would go into intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance communication, navigation, and targeting systems.

"Investment will be made to increase NZDF's access and resilience across such systems, including ground stations to access partner satellite systems."

It already has ground stations at Ohakea, Auckland and Whangaparāoa.

Whiting told the symposium on Tuesday that one crucial initiative was a "data-fusion system" for much better data on missile warning and defence, a second was satellites that could manoeuvre quickly.

China has reportedly been practicing with "dogfighting" satellites.

The NZDF has few space assets; three ground stations and it recently launched its first two experimental payloads] on small satellites run by the US spy agency NRO (National Reconnaissance Office) as part of research efforts for the Five Eyes intelligence grouping

Government papers released earlier said NZDF wanted space assets.

The defence capability plan shows the force adding billions of dollars of high-tech equipment that needs sophisticated operation and servicing, at a time when it has reduced the educational entry level requirements to try to attract more recruits to its thinned-out ranks.

In releasing the capability plan at parliament on Monday, Collins several times mentioned China sending a ballistic missile with a dummy warhead into seas not far from Tahiti last year, and the powerful Chinese warships in the Tasman Sea a few weeks ago.

She is giving a speech in Colorado along with dozens of others, including the US director of missile defence.

In a Beehive statement before leaving, she emphasised the chance for her to "show that we're open for business" at the symposium that draws thousands of industry and government people, and costs almost $6000 to attend.

She did not answer RNZ's questions about the nature of her talks with Saltzman.

The South China Morning Post reported on Saltzman's testimony at a security review in Washington last week as 'Pentagon urges faster militarisation of space, citing China's advances'.

"'We restrain ourselves from doing what is needful to avoid creating improper perceptions of 'weaponising space'," he said.

Beijing's ambitions posed "an incredible threat," targeting satellites as first to be shot down in any conflict between the US and China, he said.

The US has a military space strategy and doctrine, and New Zealand has expressed support for the commercial side of the strategy, which is to buy more systems from private companies.

The Space Force's update of the commercial strategy included a push to "integrate and accept proven hybrid US, allied, partner and commercial formations".

While New Zealand is now poised to buy or develop a lot more space gear to "plug in" to partners, the Defence Force told RNZ "NZDF has not yet developed a space doctrine".

The new US doctrine on allies said, "Strengthening these relationships requires direct collaboration and information, sharing with our key partners and eliminating barriers to collaboration".

Other questions remain. General Whiting recently said the peak space security body that New Zealand joined in October, called Operation Olympic Defender, with just seven nations in it, faced scenarios including "conflict".

RNZ asked Collins what her understanding was of what he meant. She has not responded.

The $12 billion defence capability plan cost is for the whole-of-life of the systems, including buying them, operating and servicing them.

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