The United States has publicly confirmed for the first time the deployment of weapons in space, marking a significant shift in the militarization of the space domain. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink announced on Monday that the U.S. has fielded “on-orbit space control weapons” designed to protect joint military forces from hostile actions in space. Specific details regarding the nature, capabilities, or intended targets of these weapons were not disclosed.

This announcement comes amid increasing global concerns about the weaponization of space, particularly involving Russia and China. Two years ago, the U.S. highlighted warnings about Russia’s development of a new space-based anti-satellite weapon, though the threat was not considered immediate at that time. U.S. officials have historically voiced apprehension over such capabilities due to the reliance of American infrastructure on satellite communications. The U.S. has also demonstrated anti-satellite weaponry by shooting down satellites from Earth.

Meink made his statements during the Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference, where he also mentioned the integration of more autonomous systems within the Air Force. He projected considerable transformation in the service by 2032, including the potential replacement of artillery with one-way attack drones as a primary offensive tool. He emphasized ongoing efforts to bolster readiness against existing threats.

The revelation aligns with a broader policy trajectory initiated under the Trump administration, which established the U.S. Space Force as an independent military branch in 2019. During his second term, former President Donald Trump announced the “Golden Dome” missile defense system, which envisions deploying U.S. weapons in space to intercept missiles even when launched from orbit. Trump aimed for the system’s full operational capability before the end of his term in January 2029. The Pentagon was directed early on by Trump to develop space-based interceptors, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating that these components could cost upwards of $542 billion over 20 years.

Tensions over space weaponization recently intensified following 2024 announcements by the Biden administration alleging that Russia had been developing a space-based nuclear weapon. This weapon reportedly could remain in orbit for extended periods before detonating a burst capable of disabling nearby satellites. At the United Nations, debates over the military use of outer space resurfaced, with Russia vetoing a U.S.-Japanese resolution aimed at prohibiting the deployment of nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction in space, a move consistent with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. Russia criticized the resolution as hypocritical and proposed an alternative comprehensive ban on all space weapons, but the rival resolution did not pass.

Russian officials have accused the United States and its allies of opposing such a ban because of plans to deploy weapons in space, underscoring the deep divisions on regulating military activity in this increasingly contested domain.