The United States has confirmed that it has deployed a “space weapon” in Earth’s orbit. It is reportedly the first time the US has publicly acknowledged possessing such an offensive capability in space.

US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said such weapons are necessary to monitor potential adversaries and respond to emerging threats.

Speaking at an Air, Space and Cyber Conference on Monday, Meink said the United States was prepared to confront “evolving threats.” However, he did not provide details about the weapon’s capabilities or when it was deployed into orbit.

Senior US military officials have previously spoken about plans to expand American military capabilities in space. They have pointed to programs being developed by Russia and China that could potentially attack US satellites or disrupt their operations.

China warns against arms race in space

China on Tuesday warned against an arms race in space in response to the US announcement.

According to AFP, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry urged the United States to stop expanding its military capabilities and preparing for warfare in space.

US officials have not disclosed how the newly acknowledged weapon works.

According to a US Space Force spokesperson, “space control” includes various operational capabilities required to compete in space and maintain control of the domain. These capabilities could include disrupting, degrading or, if necessary, destroying an adversary’s space capabilities.

The spokesperson said such capabilities could be used for both offensive and defensive purposes under the direction of combatant commanders.

What could the space weapon be?

Experts on military space technology say very little information is currently available about the capability publicly acknowledged by the United States.

Dr. Bleddyn Bowen of the Royal United Services Institute said the system could involve “a range of different types of weapons systems.”

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Bowen said the United States could be referring to some form of electronic warfare or radio-jamming platform.

Such a system could be similar to technologies already used on Earth to interfere with radio communications.

Another possibility is a “kinetic kill vehicle”—a space-based system capable of physically striking and destroying another object.

Such a system could use a missile or projectile to collide with and destroy a satellite.

However, Bowen said the likelihood of such a weapon being used may be lower because destroying satellites in this way could create large amounts of space debris.

Space capabilities linked to ‘Golden Dome’

The Trump administration has described space-based capabilities and interceptor missiles as important components of the “Golden Dome” defense system, which is intended to protect the United States from missiles and other aerial threats.

Last year, President Donald Trump issued an executive order expanding the role envisioned for the US Space Force, presenting it not only as a force responsible for protecting American assets in space but also as a military capability capable of conducting offensive operations.

The US Space Force was established in 2019. Its primary mission is to protect American assets in space, including hundreds of satellites used for communications, surveillance and navigation.

History of military activity in space

An international treaty signed in 1967 prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in Earth’s orbit. However, major powers including the United States, Russia and China have continued to develop other military capabilities that fall outside the treaty’s restrictions.

These include capabilities designed to target or interfere with satellites belonging to rival countries. Satellites are considered critical for military communications, surveillance and navigation.

A report published earlier this year said that since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, two Russian satellites may have interfered with communications involving at least a dozen European satellites.

The interference could potentially have allowed Russian intelligence agencies to access sensitive data transmitted by those satellites or, in theory, gain control of them.

In 2024, the United States said Russia had launched a satellite that it believed could potentially attack another satellite. Russia did not publicly respond to the claim.

According to the US Space Force, China is developing and operating space and counter-space capabilities as part of its military modernization strategy.

Russia also views space as a potential domain of warfare and believes that control of space could become a decisive factor in future conflicts.