In a first, US Air Force Secretary reveals Washington has weapons in space; to counter challenges from adversaries

US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink on Monday (local time) revealed that Washington has deployed weapons in space and plans to use them as and when needed as it faces growing space-based threats from China and Russia

The United States has deployed weapons in space and plans to use them to defend American forces when needed, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said on Monday (local time), marking the first public acknowledgement of such capabilities in orbit.

The statement appears intended to send a message to potential adversaries operating in the domain, CNN reported.

His disclosure comes amid growing concerns over the depletion of US munitions following the ongoing war with Iran, as Washington also seeks to ensure that it has sufficient weapons stocks for potential future conflicts.

What did the US Air Force Secretary say on weapons deployed in space?

The Air Force Secretary made these remarks at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference, an annual gathering hosted by the Air & Space Forces Association in National Harbor, Maryland. Meink noted, “Today we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenges of evolving threats wherever they exist.” He added, “This is why the United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action.”

Elaborating further, Meink said, “It is critically important that we maintain our dominance not only in the air but in space, and so we’ve had to take steps to make sure that when we’re threatened, we can take care of that.”

However, the Air Force Secretary did not clarify when these weapons were deployed in space or provide any additional details about them. He also noted that a space-based interceptor programme had quickly moved from “initial contract to flight-ready hardware in less than one year.”

Meink's remarks also draw attention to the growing role of the US Space Force as Washington seeks to strengthen its capabilities in the increasingly contested space domain.

Why is the Space Force deploying weapons in space?

The US Space Force, which was established by President Donald Trump in 2019 as part of the Air Force, has been hailed as a milestone in strengthening the country's defence capabilities amid an advancing arms race in which China and Russia have challenged US dominance.

According to its website, “China develops and operates space and counterspace capabilities as part of a military modernization strategy.” It further states, “Russia views space as a warfighting domain and believes space supremacy will be a decisive factor in future conflicts.”

Washington's move to place weapons in space comes amid repeated warnings from US military officials about the growing space-based capabilities of China and Russia. Officials have pointed to Russian satellite constellation training exercises that, according to Washington, could demonstrate “attack and defend tactics” for potential future conflicts, as well as China's development of a nuclear-capable partial-orbit hypersonic missile.

A 2024 CNN report, citing US intelligence, stated that Moscow was advancing efforts to develop a nuclear weapon designed for use in space that could generate a powerful electromagnetic pulse, potentially disabling a wide range of commercial and government satellites. Moscow has denied the allegation.

Can countries deploy weapons in space? Here's what you need to know

Under the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, the deployment of nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction in space is prohibited. However, the treaty does not prohibit conventional weapons or ground-based weapons targeting assets in space, leaving room for interpretation.

With the US now publicly acknowledging that it has weapons in orbit, the disclosure marks a significant development in the militarisation of space. As China and Russia continue to expand their space and counterspace capabilities, Washington's move underscores the growing importance of space in future military conflicts.

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