US military confirms space-based weapons as China warns of arms race
The US Air Force has acknowledged for the first time it possesses weapons in space, prompting China to urge Washington to halt military expansion in orbit.
Key Takeaways
AIAs China and Russia continue to expand their military programs in orbit, the US military has, for the first time, acknowledged possessing weapons in space.
US Air Force Secretary Troy Minck said his country now has space control weapons deployed in orbit, capable of protecting joint forces from hostile actions by adversaries.
During a conference of the Air and Space Forces Association in Maryland, Minck declined to reveal the nature or specific capabilities of the weapon, noting that providing further details about US activities "would not serve the concept of deterrence."
The Air Force Secretary added that the United States needs to ensure its ability to "operate freely" in space, stressing that this domain is crucial to US military and economic security.
This announcement comes as President Donald Trump's administration accelerates the development of space capabilities for the "Golden Dome" missile defense system. The Air Force Secretary said there is currently "flight-ready equipment" to intercept missiles from space, a key feature of the project, which aims to intercept attacking missiles while they are in flight in space.
Victoria Sampson, executive director for space security and stability at the Secure World Foundation, suggested the weapon in question may be a space-based jamming device, given the US policy of avoiding operations that create space debris, which typically occurs with kinetic weapons. She added that the Air Force Secretary's announcement could "undermine the goal of deterrence" if China or Russia were to acknowledge possessing similar capabilities.
Meanwhile, China today urged the United States to "stop preparing for war" in space, warning of an "arms race" in this domain, following confirmation by the US Air Force that it had deployed weapons in orbit for the first time.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Gou Jiakun said, "We urge the US side to stop expanding its military capabilities and preparing for war in outer space."