U.S. confirms for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space. China and Russia have responded.
The U.S. Air Force has confirmed the deployment of on-orbit space control weapons, sparking warnings from Russia and China regarding the militarization of space. Officials noted that these systems are intended for defense, while also highlighting the role of AI and autonomous drones in future combat.
Why it matters
This confirmation signals a shift in global military strategy, potentially accelerating a space-based arms race and increasing geopolitical tensions between major world powers.
The United States has confirmed for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space, prompting separate warnings from China and Russia. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told the Air and Space Cyber Conference in Maryland on Monday that the U.S. has fielded "on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action." Meink did not detail what the weapons were or how they work. In 2024 the U.S. said Russia was developing a new anti-satellite weapon that could be launched from space. At the time, the White House said the danger wasn't imminent. But reports of the anti-satellite weapon reflected longstanding worries about space threats from Russia and China, given that much U.S. infrastructure is dependent on satellite communications.
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