AUCKLAND, New Zealand, — U.S. Space Command has blocked the New Zealand Defence Force from releasing operational records concerning a Pentagon-funded space-surveillance hub at Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Auckland. According to Radio New Zealand (RNZ), the decision comes as the wider surveillance network has expanded its support for military operations related to the conflict involving Iran.
The Auckland facility is one of three global centres in the Joint Commercial Operations (JCO) network, alongside hubs in the United States and Britain. It coordinates surveillance across the Pacific using a continuous, follow-the-sun operating schedule. The network uses unclassified commercial radar, optical and radio-frequency data to track satellites, rocket launches, space debris and potential threats in orbit. Its information supports space safety, collision avoidance, space-weather monitoring and military intelligence shared with U.S. commands and allied governments.
New Zealand Withholds Requested Records
RNZ requested mission notices covering March to September 2026 and weekly reports from the previous two years under New Zealand's Official Information Act. The New Zealand Defence Force declined the request, stating that it could not release JCO documents without U.S. approval and advising RNZ to use the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.
New Zealand maintains sovereignty over the facility and says its activities remain within the responsibilities approved by Cabinet. The country joined the arrangement in 2023, following a U.S. invitation, to support space-domain awareness and satellite protection using unclassified commercial data.
The Auckland hub operates within the Royal New Zealand Air Force's No. 62 Squadron, the country's first dedicated space unit. The United States funds commercial sensor data, while New Zealand supplies personnel. Its contribution cost approximately NZ$180,000 in a recent year.
Russian, Iranian and Chinese Space Activity
Previously released records showed that, in February 2026, the Auckland hub coordinated tracking of a Russian launch carrying two satellites for Iran, described as weather and television broadcasting satellites. The notices identified the launch as a milestone for Iran's space programme and an example of continuing Russian-Iranian cooperation. The hub also tracked a Chinese military satellite that month.
The JCO network has since incorporated sensors aboard SpaceX's Starlink satellites. An April report said this significantly increased successful tracking of Chinese and Russian launches. The network combines data from multiple commercial providers in a shared repository used by dozens of countries.
JCO Expands Electronic Warfare Monitoring
JCO head Barbara Golf said the U.S. Central Command requested broader electromagnetic-spectrum monitoring after Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, 2026. The network used this capability to identify sources of electronic attacks, including Iranian jammers capable of disrupting drones.
Golf said the capability had expanded rapidly and that the U.S. Space Force intended to extend these warning functions to all six U.S. geographic combatant commands over the following year. Electromagnetic-spectrum operations were added to the JCO approximately two years earlier and had previously supported events such as the Paris Olympics.
The New Zealand Defence Force said it was aware of these expanded activities but had not extended its own contribution beyond the Cabinet-approved remit. Any further expansion of the Auckland hub's role would require government permission. The facility has also trained operators from partner countries participating in the Pacific cell.
Direct Involvement in Iran Operations Unclear
Although the wider JCO network has supported monitoring related to combat operations involving Iran, the extent of the Auckland hub's direct involvement remains unclear. Military officials have not confirmed whether the New Zealand facility helped identify electronic attacks or counter-drone jamming in the Middle East.
The case highlights the growing use of commercial satellite data in military intelligence and operational planning, as well as the challenges of balancing allied defense cooperation with national sovereignty and transparency laws.
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