US has weapons deployed in orbit, Space Force says

The US Space Force has announced the deployment of weapons in orbit, marking the first time such capabilities have been confirmed. The statement, made on Monday, reveals the presence of on-orbit space control weapons designed to defend the Joint Force against hostile actions from adversaries. The statement, while not disclosing specifics about the weapons, clarifies that space control encompasses various mission areas, including kinetic and non-kinetic means to impact adversary capabilities in the space domain.

These capabilities can be utilized both offensively and defensively. The US Space Force highlights that both Russia and China, the primary geopolitical rivals of the US, are developing space and counterspace capabilities as part of their military modernization strategies. Russia views space as a critical warfighting domain, with a belief that space supremacy will be a decisive factor in future conflicts.

China, on the other hand, develops and operates space and counterspace capabilities as part of its overall military modernization strategy. The militarization of space has been a concern since the dawn of the space age, with the first launch of Sputnik in 1957 prompting both Washington and Moscow to explore ways to arm and destroy satellites.

Although the superpowers and other nations signed the Outer Space Treaty in 1967, which prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in orbit, Russia, the US, China, and India have continued to explore alternative methods of space warfare, including targeting rivals' satellites essential for military communications, surveillance, and navigation.