US Admits for First Time It Has Deployed Weapons in Space
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink says orbital systems have been deployed to counter hostile actions, without revealing details about their capabilities.
WASHINGTON, Sep 15: The United States has acknowledged for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space, marking a significant development in its efforts to strengthen military capabilities beyond Earth.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink disclosed the deployment while addressing the Air and Space Cyber Conference in Maryland on Monday. He said the US had fielded “on orbit space control weapons” designed to protect joint military forces from hostile actions by adversaries.
Meink did not provide details about the systems, including their number, location, capabilities or operating methods. His remarks nevertheless offered the clearest public confirmation to date that Washington has placed offensive or defensive military systems in orbit.
The disclosure comes amid growing concerns over the militarisation of space and the vulnerability of satellite networks. The United States relies heavily on space-based infrastructure for communications and other military functions, making potential attacks on satellites a major security concern.
In 2024, US officials warned that Russia was developing a new anti-satellite capability that could potentially be deployed from space. The White House said at the time that the threat was not considered imminent. The warning nevertheless renewed attention to the broader competition between the US, Russia and China over space-based military capabilities.
Meink also outlined plans for greater use of autonomous systems within the US Air Force. He said the service could look “radically different” by 2032 as emerging technologies become more deeply integrated into military operations.
Among the changes he envisaged was a greater role for one way attack drones, which he predicted could eventually replace artillery as a primary means of delivering lethal force on the battlefield.
“We are increasing readiness against existing threats,” Meink said.
The US established the Space Force in 2019 under then President Donald Trump as a separate military service focused on space operations and protecting American interests in the domain.
