U.S. military confirms deployment of a space weapon in Earth orbit

The U.S. military has acknowledged for the first time that it deployed a space weapon into Earth’s orbit.

U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, who oversees the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, said in a speech Monday that the military has “on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action.”

Meink did not specify what the weapons are, what they do, or how many have been deployed. The phrasing was reportedly intentional and “very well thought out.” The Air Force did not respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment about the deployment or the threats it was addressing.

The acknowledgment comes as China is long suspected of operating spacecraft capable of damaging other satellites. The U.S. Space Force says Russia is developing a satellite “designed to carry a nuclear weapon.”

According to The Times, the U.S. had previously disavowed the destruction of satellites in space because such attacks can create debris that threatens other space objects and astronauts. The statement therefore marks a public acknowledgment of a capability whose specific design and deployment details remain undisclosed.