US reveals it has weapons in space

Space Force chief Troy Meink said the deployment was aimed at deterring America’s adversaries

The US has for the first time acknowledged that it has weapons in space amid ongoing tensions with Russia and China.

US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink revealed the deployment on Monday during the opening of the Air & Space Forces Association’s 2026 Air, Space & Cyber Conference at National Harbor in Maryland.

“Today, we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenge of evolving threats wherever they exist,” Meink said during his opening keynote speech.

“This is why the Space Force now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action,” he said, without elaborating. “It’s important from a deterrence perspective,” he added.

The Washington Post quoted a US official as saying that the technology mentioned by Meink could include the ability to “take out” an enemy satellite if it were being used to target American troops or a US satellite.

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