Space Force has weapons in orbit, Air Force secretary says

The Space Force currently has “space control weapons” in orbit, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink revealed today. His remarks are the first time the U.S. military has publicly acknowledged putting offensive capabilities into orbit.

Meink was delivering a keynote address at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference at National Harbor, Maryland on Monday when he opened up about what the Space Force has put into space.

“Today, we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenges of evolving threats wherever they exist. This is why the United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary actions,” Meink said during his speech at AFA’s annual Air, Space and Cyber conference. 

It’s not clear what weapons systems are in space or how long they have been deployed. At a question-and-answer portion after his remarks, Meink did not elaborate on his wording. 

“It is critically important that we maintain our dominance, not only in the air but in space,” Meink said, per Air & Space Forces Magazine, noting that if threatened, “we can take of that.”

A Space Force spokesperson told Task & Purpose that the United States “currently has on-orbit capabilities to meet the needs of the Joint Force,” echoing Meink’s remarks. The service spokesperson did not provide specifics, but did say that space control “encapsulates the mission areas required to contest and control the space domain — employing kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect adversary capabilities through disruption, degradation and even destruction, if necessary.”

The Outer Space Treaty, signed in 1967, bars the deployment of weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear missiles into orbit. Space Force’s statement to Task & Purpose said that military operations in space are in compliance with the Outer Space Treaty.

The deployment of offensive weapons into space is a marked change from what Space Force has been focusing on since its establishment in 2019. Although the service hasn’t ruled out offensive capabilities, it has prioritized launching communications and tracking satellites into orbit. Other launches include the X-37B, the service’s secretive uncrewed space plane, which has tested several maneuvering tactics.

However, Space Force leadership has explored expanding the service’s capabilities in “orbital warfare,” including both non-kinetic and kinetic weapons. The former includes directed energy and electronic jamming systems, while the latter could include everything from missiles to solid projectiles used in anti-satellite means.

In April, then-Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman said that Space Force had proven itself “combat credible” with the Iran war, but said that involved guardians operating electronic warfare operations from the ground. Similarly, the service has acquired non-kinetic weapons systems meant to jam enemy satellites, but from the ground. It is unclear if space-based weapons have been directly used in any conflict or skirmish.