US Confirms Orbital Weapons Deployment, Draws Warnings From Russia, China

The U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed Monday that the United States has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action.

This acknowledgment marks the strongest admission yet by a Pentagon official regarding U.S. weapons in space, according to a U.S. Space Command official who described it as a landmark moment in space militarization. Richard Palmer, director of Capability and Resource Integration Directorate at US Space Command, stated this transparency is fundamental to ensuring that they prevent deterrence from failing.

Meink made the disclosure at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference in Maryland but did not provide details on the weapon's capabilities, design, testing, or deployment timeline, citing deterrence concerns. A U.S. Space Force spokesperson clarified that space control involves employing kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect adversary capabilities for both offensive and defensive purposes.

Non-kinetic options could include lasers to blind satellites or electromagnetic and cyber jamming. The announcement drew immediate warnings from China and Russia. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun urged the U.S. to stop expanding its military capabilities and preparing for war in outer space, warning against turning space into a battlefield and an arms race.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called for space to be kept free from any weapons and advocated for complete demilitarisation of space. Experts offered speculation on the weapon's nature. Dr. Bleddyn Bowen, an associate professor at Durham University, suggested it could be a non-destructive electronic warfare or radio-jamming platform. Victoria Samson of Secure World Foundation also suggested a space-based jammer, noting the U.S. typically avoids kinetic attacks due to debris. The U.S. Space Force identifies China and Russia as potential threats, stating China develops space and counterspace capabilities as part of its military modernization.