US confirms it has deployed weapons in space
The United States has publicly confirmed for the first time that it has weapons deployed in orbit. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the systems are in place to protect U.S. forces from hostile action in space.
Speaking Monday, Meink said the U.S. has fielded "on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action." He did not say what the weapons are, how they work, or whether they are meant to target objects in space or on Earth.
The disclosure adds to long-running concerns over military competition in orbit. U.S. officials had warned in recent years about possible Russian anti-satellite capabilities, while Washington has also previously shown it can destroy satellites from the ground.
The announcement comes as the Trump administration expands its military focus on space. Trump created the Space Force in 2019, and his current plans for the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system include putting U.S. weapons in space.
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