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New Zealand and Germany have signed a logistics arrangement between their two militaries, committing to practical logistics cooperation during exercises, operations and humanitarian assistance activities.
The signing of a Mutual Logistics Support Arrangement (MLSA) took place today at Defence House, Wellington, between Air Commodore Susie Barns, Commander Logistics, and Rear Admiral Axel Ristau, German Ministry of Defence.
With an MLSA, the two nations agree on terms, conditions and procedures to provide logistics support to each other in planned-for situations as well as unforeseen circumstances.
These can include supplies and services during exercises, training activities, operational deployments, ship and aircraft visits, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, and other mutually agreed activities. The New Zealand Defence Force has MLSAs in place with many nations.
AIRCDRE Barns said signing provides the NZDF with an additional mechanism for supporting operational and training activities with a key European defence partner while improving interoperability and cooperation opportunities.
“Germany continues to be an important international partner for New Zealand, including cooperation in regional security matters and support to international operations. This arrangement will make it easier for us to do business in the future should we need to,” she said.
“The New Zealand Defence Force benefits from the advantages and capabilities enjoyed by other nations.
“We would not be able to grow our own capabilities or sustain many of our operational deployments without international logistics agreements and arrangements that supplement our own logistics capacity.”
In the past, specific arrangements would have been created for the NZDF and German Armed Forces engagement, notably with tanker HMNZS Aotearoa refuelling a German Navy ship in the Pacific in 2024 and the German Air Force’s joint training exercise in New Zealand last year. From this year, activities like this will be supported by the MLSA.
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