The final frontier: US reveals Space Force has 'on-orbit space control weapons' for first time
Meink declined to say whether the weapons were kinetic, meaning systems designed to physically damage or destroy a target, or non-kinetic systems such as electronic warfare capabilities.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink announced that the US Space Force now possesses "on-orbit space control weapons" capable of defending American forces from hostile actions. This marks the most explicit public acknowledgment by the US of deploying military weapons in space. Meink emphasized that this disclosure was deliberate, stating, "It is critically important that we maintain our dominance, not only in the air but in space." While declining to specify if the weapons are kinetic or non-kinetic, he noted that greater public acknowledgment could strengthen deterrence.
- The Space Force is also advancing its Space-Based Interceptor program, which aims to place weapons in space to destroy missile threats, with initial operational capability potentially by 2028.
- Another initiative is the Space-Based Air-Moving Target Indication (AMTI) constellation, developed with the National Reconnaissance Office, to enhance aircraft tracking from space.
- SpaceX received a $4.2 billion contract to build the AMTI constellation, with the first satellites scheduled for launch in September.
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