The United States has now publicly confirmed something it had long kept murky: American “space control weapons” are already in orbit.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink revealed the deployment Monday at the Air & Space Forces Association’s annual conference, saying the systems are designed to defend U.S. forces against hostile action in space.
“Today, we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenges of evolving threats wherever they exist,” Meink said. “This is why the United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary actions.”
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What exactly those weapons do remains classified.
Meink did not say how many are in orbit, how long they have been there, or whether they are designed to jam, disable, interfere with, or physically destroy enemy satellites.
Reuters reported that the disclosure marked a significant public acknowledgment of capabilities the Pentagon has historically kept largely secret.
Meink framed the move as deterrence.
“It is critically important that we maintain our dominance not only in the air, but in space,” he said, arguing that the military needs options to respond if American assets are threatened.
The revelation lands as Washington grows increasingly concerned about China and Russia’s military capabilities in orbit and about satellite intelligence reaching U.S. adversaries.
It also fits squarely into a broader Trump-era push to make space a central part of American defense.
Trump created the Space Force during his first term and has since championed Golden Dome, a proposed missile-defense architecture expected to rely heavily on space-based sensors and, under current plans, interceptors.
The administration has said it wants initial Golden Dome capabilities operating before the end of Trump’s term, though the full architecture remains under development.
China quickly objected to Meink’s announcement, accusing Washington of fueling an arms race in space.
Beijing said it opposes turning outer space into a battlefield and urged the United States to stop expanding its military presence there.
More over at The New York Post:
US launches mysterious weapons into space in move against China and Russia, Air Force secretary confirms https://t.co/C3ehcyF2wH pic.twitter.com/oIv0coC2ME
— New York Post (@nypost) September 15, 2026
