US Acknowledges On-Orbit Space-Control Weapons

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink has publicly acknowledged for the first time that the United States has deployed on-orbit space-control weapons to defend U.S. and allied forces against hostile actions. Officials have not disclosed the systems’ number, deployment date, targets or specific capabilities, but said they may support defensive or offensive operations using kinetic or non-kinetic methods, including disrupting, degrading or destroying adversary space assets. China accused Washington of fueling an arms race, while Russia called for space to remain free of weapons. The announcement reflects growing U.S. concerns about Russian and Chinese counterspace programs; the United States says the capabilities comply with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which bans weapons of mass destruction in orbit but not all conventional or non-kinetic weapons. Meink also said the Space Force has developed flight-ready hardware for space-based missile interceptors under the Golden Dome initiative, while the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile replacement is expected to undergo its first launchpad test in 2027.