The U.S. has weapons in space: What that means

By Easton Martin

The United States military has deployed weapons in space to protect American forces. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed the deployment of on-orbit space control weapons on Monday at the Air and Space Cyber Conference in Maryland.

This announcement marks the first public acknowledgment that the US operates armed capabilities in orbit.

Meink stated these systems ensure the military can defend against hostile actions. The US Space Force clarified that space control involves kinetic and non-kinetic tools used for offensive and defensive purposes.

These weapons counter threats from China and Russia. Both nations operate counterspace programs, and Russia recently advanced a space-based anti-satellite system.  

This deployment aligns with President Donald Trump’s national defense policies.

Trump established the US Space Force in 2019 to secure space as a warfighting domain. The administration is also advancing the Golden Dome missile defense shield. Meink announced the military possesses flight-ready hardware for space-based interceptors connected to the Golden Dome system.