US acknowledges having weapons in orbit, concerns grow over a new military race in space

For the first time, the United States has publicly acknowledged that it possesses weapons deployed in orbit. The statement prompted immediate reactions from China and Russia, while reviving fears of an escalation in the arms race in space.

Troy Meink, the US secretary of the Air Force, said that the United States currently has active weapons “in orbit” intended to ensure control of space and respond to potential threats around Earth.

“We now have weapons in orbit for space control,” Meink said at the annual Air, Space and Cyber Conference. He did not clarify what type of weapons they were or how many there are.

According to a spokesperson for the US Space Force, the concept of “space control” could involve the use of kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect the capabilities of adversaries. He emphasized that these capabilities could be used both for defense and offensive operations.

Following Washington’s announcement, both Beijing and Moscow reacted.

China’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of preparing for a war in space. Beijing also warned that Earth’s orbit must not be turned into a battlefield or another arena for an arms race.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia considers space an area that should remain free of weapons and called for its demilitarization.

However, for years there have been suspicions that the United States, Russia and China have been developing military capabilities for use in space. These could include systems that block satellite signals, interfere with communications or, in more advanced forms, kinetic weapons capable of damaging or destroying objects in orbit.

Space experts warn that the US public acknowledgment could fuel a new arms race among the three powers.

Astronomer Jonathan McDowell said it was reasonable to believe that the United States already had such weapons in orbit, particularly because of the deployment of satellites carrying classified payloads.

He estimated that Russia and China could, following the statement, take steps to develop or deploy similar systems in space.

Victoria Samson, director for space security and stability at the Secure World Foundation, described the statement as highly significant. According to her, US government officials had not previously publicly confirmed such a weapons presence.

One of the greatest concerns relates to the damage that could be caused by using kinetic weapons against satellites.

In 2021, Russia destroyed one of its non-operational satellites as part of a test involving a ground-launched anti-satellite missile. The explosion created thousands of pieces of debris, which remained in orbit and caused international concern.