US deploys weapon in space
US deploys weapon in space
Alexandra SnowTue, September 15, 2026 at 8:10 AM UTC
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The United States has revealed that it has deployed a space weapon in Earth’s orbit.
In a thinly veiled warning to Russia and China, Troy Meink, the US air force secretary, said the US had launched a space weapon into orbit in response to “evolving threats”.
Mr Meink, who made the announcement at the annual Air, Space, and Cyber Conference in Maryland, did not elaborate on the weapon’s capabilities or how long it had been deployed, but hinted that it could be used for “space control”.
A US official told the Washington Post that it could be used to take out enemy satellites – which are key for military communications, surveillance and navigation – if they were being used to target American troops or a US satellite.
“It’s important from a deterrence perspective,” Mr Meink added, stating that thenew weapon would defend US forces against “hostile adversary action”.
Troy Meink, the US air force secretary, said the space weapon had been launched in response to ‘evolving threats’ - Getty Images/Andrew Harnik
The confirmation of the “on orbit” weapon marks the first time the US has acknowledged its offensive capabilities in space.
On orbit is an aerospace industry term meaning that a spacecraft or satellite has successfully reached its intended path in space and is actively functioning or ready for operations.
Security officials have been warning for years that China and Russia are practising offensive manoeuvres in orbit using lasers or jammers.
The US space force, the newest branch of the US military, says that Russia “views space as a war-fighting domain and believes space supremacy will be a decisive factor in future conflicts”.
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In February, security officials claimed that Russian spacecraft intercepted the communications of at least a dozen key satellites over Europe.
American intelligence officials have previously voiced fears that Moscow is developing a programme to arm some of its satellites with nuclear warheads, which are banned from orbit.
The official space threat fact sheet claims that China operates its space capabilities to achieve “strategic deterrence and control over the US military in the Indo-Pacific region”.
A US space force spokesman told ABC News: “The US has warned about Russian and Chinese weapons testing and operationalisation since 2007.
“Due to their actions, it is no longer a question that space is a war-fighting domain. Open communication strengthens deterrence, prevents adversary miscalculation, and normalises space operations alongside the other services.”
In 1962, the US conducted the largest nuclear test in outer space, known as Starfish Prime. The effects were far more devastating than the Pentagon had imagined and brought about the Outer Space Treaty, signed in 1967, which banned weapons of mass destruction in orbit.
This week Wes Streeting, the Defence Secretary, launched a new space strategy and pledged nearly £1bn to help prevent attacks on British satellites.
Mr Streeting said: “This space strategy recognises that our national security depends on our freedom of action in space and, if necessary, the ability to protect UK and allied space assets.
“As threats in orbit grow more sophisticated, so must our ability to detect and respond to them, ensuring we protect the interests of the UK and allies while fuelling economic growth along the way.”
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Source: “AOL Breaking”
