U.S. confirms for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, pictured here in May, said that the U.S. has fielded 'on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action.' Matt Rourke/The Associated Press

The United States has confirmed for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space, a remarkable revelation after previous warnings about countries such as Russia possibly weaponizing a global frontier long agreed in treaties to be used for only peaceful purposes.

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.”