The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has participated in a classified US-led wargame simulating a Russian nuclear blast designed to disable satellites, marking a significant escalation in NZ-US space cooperation.
- Nuclear Simulation: The “Apollo Insight” exercise focused on “worst-case” scenarios involving weapons of mass destruction in orbit.
- Strategic Alliances: New Zealand is integrating further with the US through the Five Eyes intelligence group and Operation Olympic Defence.
- Future Threats: US Space Force projections for 2040 highlight the risk of AI-driven “Superminds” and maneuverable satellites from China.
Simulating Nuclear Threats in Orbit
The desktop wargame, conducted in March, was run by the US space warfighting agency alongside more than 60 commercial companies. Participants shared innovations and courses of action to deter the use of nuclear detonations in space.
General Stephen Whiting, head of US Space Command, stated that reports regarding Russia’s plans to launch such weapons “forced us to prepare.”
The exercise was the first in a four-part “Apollo Insight” commercial integration series. A second exercise scheduled for June 2026 will focus on maneuver warfare and how commercial partners can challenge traditional space operations.
The 2040 Vision and Global Threats
The US Space Force recently released a report outlining a vision for 2040, identifying China as the primary threat. The report imagines China developing an AI-driven “Supermind” capable of striking with “unmatched speed and lethality.”
General Chance Saltzman, head of the US Space Force, emphasized that success depends on dominating the domain through “overwhelming American firepower” and deep integration with allies across surveillance, warning, and targeting.
US officials also warned that China’s experiments in refueling satellites in low earth orbit have shifted space from a permissive environment to one where US satellites can be tracked, targeted, or interfered with.
Expanding NZ-US Space Cooperation
Parallel to the wargames, the two governments signed a new space dialogue to expand commercial and military cooperation. This includes managing risks to ground-based infrastructure and enhancing “space situational awareness.”
New Zealand currently operates a monitoring system in Auckland for the US that produces unclassified reports on satellite movements. The dialogue also highlighted New Zealand’s geographic advantages for “responsive” or rapid rocket launches.
New Zealand has further committed to “accelerating defence industrial cooperation” through the Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR), a 16-nation group. This collaboration focuses on resilient supply chains for drone motors, batteries, and support for P-8 Poseidons.
Integration and Technological Warfare
The US has designated 2026 as the “Year of Integration” for the US Space Force, involving commercial partners and the Five Eyes intelligence group.
New Zealand is currently implementing the NGC2 (Next Generation Command and Control) battlefield tech system, with requirements for interoperability with NATO and Indo-Pacific allies. The NZDF is also signed up for the US Army’s Project Convergence.
This shift toward data-powered military operations includes the NZDF’s scheduled participation in a US Army exercise featuring emerging technology in mid-2026.
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