The United States has confirmed the deployment of its “space weapons” into Earth’s orbit, marking the first explicit acknowledgement of such capabilities. Senior US Air Force official Troy Mink stated that placing weapons in orbit is essential to protect the country from hostile military activities. Speaking at the ‘Air, Space, and Cyber Conference’ on Monday, he said the US government is “prepared to face increasing threats.” However, he did not provide detailed information about the type, capability, or timing of the weapons’ deployment.
Senior military leaders have previously disclosed that China and Russia plan to attack and disable American satellites in future conflicts. The Trump administration has emphasized the critical role of space-based capabilities and interceptor missiles in the proposed “Golden Dome” defense system, designed to protect against missile and aerial threats.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibited placing weapons of mass destruction in Earth’s orbit. Since then, major powers including the US, Russia, and China have pursued new capabilities that fall outside the treaty’s scope. This has heightened the need to target competitive satellites vital for military communication, surveillance, and navigation. Last year, President Donald Trump issued an executive order asserting that the US Space Force’s role includes not only asset protection but also offensive operations.
A spokesperson for the US Space Force stated, “There are areas essential for competitive control in space. When necessary, kinetic (physical) and non-kinetic (non-physical) means are used to impact enemy capabilities through disruption, degradation, or destruction.”
Why the concern over Russia and China? In 2022, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it was revealed in February that two Russian satellites had monitored or controlled the communications of at least a dozen European satellites.
