In first, U.S. military confirms deployment of weapons in space

The U.S. Air Force on Monday acknowledged the deployment of weapons in space for the first time, sparking criticism from China and Russia.

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told the Air and Space Cyber Conference in Maryland that the United States has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the country against hostile enemies.

What are these weapons? Meink did not specify what the weapons were or how they worked, but he emphasized the use of artificial intelligence to make the weapons safer and more effective. He also said the weapons have kinetic and non-kinetic abilities, meaning that these weapons employ both traditional projectiles and explosives, as well as electronic warfare, including cyber technology.

Additionally, Meink said that advances by adversaries and experience gained in the war with Iran have triggered a new focus on protecting U.S. military bases and infrastructure from airborne threats. Meink emphasized new training and focus to ensure that this critical function is unified and seamless and that dangerous gaps in an age of drones and AI are eliminated. Meink said the United States needs to build up its military strength and move faster than anyone else on new technology because more countries now have AI resources to compete.

How did China and Russia respond? Reacting to the U.S. announcement, China’s Foreign Ministry suggested Tuesday that Washington was preparing for war in outer space, and warned against turning space into a battlefield and arms race. In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Interfax reporters Tuesday that Russia believed space must be free of weapons and called for the complete demilitarization of space.