US Air Force chief confirms presence of weapons in Earth’s orbit
US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink has officially acknowledged that the country has weapons deployed in orbit for “space domain control”, marking the first time the Pentagon has openly confirmed the presence of combat systems in Earth’s orbit. The systems are reportedly intended to protect US assets from potential adversaries, though the minister did not specify the types or number of systems involved. Experts suggest the arsenal may include electronic warfare tools and signal‑jamming systems rather than kinetic weapons, which could generate hazardous space debris.
The announcement has raised concerns among space security experts, who warn it could trigger a new arms race in space. Victoria Samson, director of space security at the Secure World Foundation, noted the statement might prompt Russia and China to openly demonstrate their own space‑based capabilities.
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US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink has officially acknowledged that the country has weapons deployed in orbit for “space domain control”, marking the first time the Pentagon has openly confirmed the presence of combat systems in Earth’s orbit. The systems are reportedly intended to protect US assets from potential adversaries, though the minister did not specify the types or number of systems involved. Experts suggest the arsenal may include electronic warfare tools and signal‑jamming systems rather than kinetic weapons, which could generate hazardous space debris.
The announcement has raised concerns among space security experts, who warn it could trigger a new arms race in space. Victoria Samson, director of space security at the Secure World Foundation, noted the statement might prompt Russia and China to openly demonstrate their own space‑based capabilities.
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