// Air Component Commander

On 2 July 2001 New Zealand Defence Force Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ) was officially opened at the Trentham Army Base near Wellington. This new facility has drawn the operational commands of NZ's three armed forces together in a single command. For the Air Force it has meant that some of the previous Air Command functions have been amalgamated into the new structure. An Air Component Commander (at Air Commodore rank) and his staff have been established within the new Headquarters.

Commander Joint Force New Zealand (COMJFNZ) is responsible for the planning, implementation and command of all operations, and joint and combined exercises at the operational level.

The Air, Land and Maritime Component Commanders are responsible to their Chiefs of Staff for the generation of single Service outputs to meet directed levels of capability. Within the Air Component Commander's staff are specialists in all aspects of the Air Force's Force Elements, Maritime Patrol, Fixed and Rotary Wing Transport. The Air Component Commander is also responsible for the office of the Director Aeronautical Standards and Safety (currently located at RNZAF Base Auckland)

The main change from the previous Air Force command structure is that the squadron commanders of the respective operational squadrons report direct to the Air Component Commander. Previously they reported through their respective base commanders.