US Deploys Space Weapon, Air Force Secretary Says
The US has confirmed it deployed a space weapon in Earth’s orbit, the first time it has acknowledged such offensive capabilities. US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink made the announcement at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference on Monday.
Meink stated that the "on orbit" weapon was necessary to safeguard US forces against hostile enemy action, emphasizing the nation’s readiness to face "evolving threats." However, he did not provide details about the weapon’s capabilities or its deployment timeline.
Senior military leaders have previously expressed intentions to bolster military capabilities in space, citing Russian and Chinese programs that aim to attack and disrupt US satellites in potential future conflicts. The Trump administration has highlighted space-based capabilities and interceptor missiles as crucial components of its planned "Golden Dome" defense system.
A 1967 treaty prohibits weapons of mass destruction in orbit. Nevertheless, key powers, including the US, Russia, and China, have been exploring other capabilities outside the treaty, such as targeting rivals’ satellites, which are vital for military communications, surveillance, and navigation.
Last year, President Donald Trump issued an executive order emphasizing the US Space Force’s role in both defending and attacking assets. The US Space Force, established in 2019, is tasked with protecting American assets in space, including hundreds of satellites.
A US Space Force spokesperson clarified that "space control" involves employing various means to contest and control the space domain, encompassing both defensive and offensive strategies.
Recent developments suggest an escalating space arms race. In early February, it was revealed that two Russian satellites likely intercepted the communications of at least a dozen European satellites since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Such interceptions could have enabled Russian intelligence to access sensitive data or, hypothetically, take control of the targeted satellites.
The US Space Force further notes that China "develops and operates space and counterspace capabilities as part of a military modernization strategy," while Russia "views space as a warfighting domain and believes space supremacy will be a decisive factor in future conflicts."
