US Space Force confirms it has space weapons in orbit to defend against hostile actions from rivals like Russia and China, which also develop space capabilities.
The United States has confirmed for the first time that it has weapons deployed in space, saying the capabilities are designed to protect American and allied forces from hostile action. The US Space Force said on Monday that the weapons were already in orbit, but did not reveal what type of systems were being deployed.
“The US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action,” a Space Force spokesperson said.
The force said space-control capabilities could use both “kinetic and non-kinetic means” to affect an adversary and could be used for “offensive and defensive purposes”.
US Confirms On-Orbit Weapons
US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink also confirmed the presence of the weapons during a speech at the Air, Space, Cyber conference.
“Today, we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenges of evolving threats wherever they exist,” Meink said. “This is why the United States now has, on orbit, space-control weapons, capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversaries.”
Meink gave no details about the number, location or type of weapons. The announcement marks a significant public acknowledgement of US military capabilities in orbit, as space increasingly becomes a key part of modern warfare.