US admits deploying orbital weapons for first time, drawing Russian and Chinese protests

The United States publicly acknowledged for the first time this week that it operates weapons in Earth orbit. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink stated on September 15 that the Space Force fields "on-orbit space control weapons" capable of defending US forces against hostile adversary actions. Space Force Chief Douglas Schiess confirmed enlisted personnel operate these systems the following day.

Neither official disclosed the specific types, numbers, or deployment dates of the weapons. The systems fall under "space control" capabilities designed to disrupt, degrade, or destroy adversary satellites. Analysts note the admission marks a shift from years of ambiguity about US offensive space capabilities.

“We've gone from not talking about counter-space capabilities... to now saying flat-out we have weapons in space.”

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun opposed any arms race in outer space and urged Washington to stop military deployments. Russia's Foreign Ministry warned the acknowledgement threatens long-term stability and ignores the consequences of conflict in space. Both nations have previously been accused by the US of developing their own orbital weapons.

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty bans weapons of mass destruction in orbit but does not prohibit conventional weapons. Current US ground-based systems include the Counter Communications System and mobile jammers like Meadowlands. Victoria Samson of the Secure World Foundation said orbital jammers may be easier to deploy than kinetic or directed-energy weapons.

Officials framed the disclosure as a deterrence measure. Meink declined to say whether the orbital weapons have been tested. The Space Force plans "disciplined and responsible choices" as it scales its orbital defense arsenal in coming years.