US has weapons deployed in orbit, says Space Force

The US Space Force has confirmed the deployment of weapons in space, stating that both China and Russia are developing space capabilities as part of their broader military modernization strategies. The US Space Force spokesperson announced that the US possesses on-orbit space control weapons designed to defend against hostile adversary actions, without providing specific details about the weapons.

Space control encompasses various mission areas aimed at contesting and controlling the space domain, employing both kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect adversary capabilities, with the potential for both offensive and defensive uses. China and Russia, the two primary geopolitical rivals of the US, are considered potential threats to US interests in space.

China actively develops and operates space and counterspace capabilities as part of its military modernization strategy, while Russia views space as a critical warfighting domain and believes that space supremacy will be a decisive factor in future conflicts. The militarization of space has been a concern since the early days of the space race in the 1950s, when the US and Soviet Union started exploring ways to arm and destroy satellites.

Although the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 prohibited the placement of weapons of mass destruction in orbit, countries like Russia, the US, China, and India have continued to explore alternative methods of conducting warfare in space, such as targeting rivals' satellites, which are vital for military communications, surveillance, and navigation.