For the first time, the US military confirms it has deployed weapons in orbit
Why now?
“The United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force.”
A US Space Force Guardian monitors a space effects command and control display at the Combined Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on May 28, 2026. Credit: US Space Force/David Dozoretz
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink made the first public declaration Monday that the United States has placed “space control weapons” in orbit, an announcement that will surely reverberate in the power centers of Beijing and Moscow.
Space Force officials have previously expressed their interest in acquiring space-based weapons, and Pentagon leaders have become more open to discussing space warfare in recent years. Therefore, Meink’s announcement Monday at the Air and Space Forces Association’s annual Air, Space & Cyber Conference near Washington, DC, was not entirely unexpected.
“Today, we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenges of...
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