WASHINGTON, United States- The United States military has publicly confirmed for the first time that it has weapons deployed in orbit, marking a significant shift in how Washington discusses its military capabilities in space.
US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the Space Force has “on-orbit space control weapons” capable of protecting American forces from hostile actions.
“Today, we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenges of evolving threats, wherever they exist,” Meink said during the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference.
“This is why the United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action.”
The announcement is regarded as the Pentagon’s most direct acknowledgement that the US military has operational weapons in space.
American officials have previously discussed counter-space capabilities and plans to develop orbital interceptors but avoided confirming the deployment of weapons.
Meink declined to disclose how many systems are in orbit, how they work or whether they have been tested.
“That phrase was very well thought out. So whatever I said before is what I say again,” he said when asked to provide more information.
He said revealing technical or operational details could weaken the weapons’ value as a deterrent.
According to a Space Force spokesperson, space-control missions may involve kinetic or non-kinetic methods used to disrupt, degrade or destroy an adversary’s capabilities.
However, the service did not clarify which type of weapon the US has deployed.
Non-kinetic systems could include electronic jammers or cyber capabilities that disable or interfere with satellites without physically destroying them. Kinetic weapons could strike or damage objects in orbit, potentially creating dangerous debris.
“We are confirming that the United States has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary actions,” the spokesperson said, according to The War Zone.
“Beyond that, we will not discuss specific operational methods, payloads, technical characteristics, or employment concepts.”
The disclosure comes as the United States increases its focus on potential threats from China and Russia. Washington says both countries are developing systems capable of disrupting, disabling or destroying satellites.
Modern military operations rely heavily on satellites for communication, intelligence gathering, navigation, missile warning and targeting. Civilian services, including banking, transport, broadcasting and weather forecasting, also depend on space-based infrastructure.
Meink said the US must maintain its ability to operate freely in space because the domain is vital to both military operations and the economy.
The announcement comes alongside the development of space-based interceptors under President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome missile defence project.
Meink said that programme had advanced from an initial contract to flight-ready hardware in less than a year, although an initial operational capability is not expected before 2028, according to Air & Space Forces Magazine.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits countries from placing nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit.
It does not expressly ban conventional weapons in space.
