U.S. Space Force Confirms Deployment of Orbital Weapons

The United States Space Force said on Monday that it has deployed weapons into orbit that can be used to defend the Joint Force against hostile actions. "The US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action," the service’s spokesperson said in a statement. The statement added that space control involves "employing kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect adversary capabilities" and that the capabilities can be used for both offensive and defensive purposes.

The force noted that the space domain is increasingly viewed as a critical element of national security, given the reliance of the global economy on satellite infrastructure. It said the United States created the Space Force in 2019 to address what it described as a "growing threat posed by strategic competitors," specifically naming China and Russia.

According to the Space Force, Beijing is developing systems intended to reduce dependence on U.S. space services and is testing sophisticated counter-space capabilities. It also claims China sees space as essential for future conflicts, enabling precision strikes and denying other militaries access to space-based information. Regarding Russia, the force said the country maintains one of the world’s largest space programs and, despite funding challenges, remains a "capable space actor" that views space as a warfighting domain.