The US has confirmed it has deployed a space weapon into Earth’s orbit for the first time amid threats from Russia and China.
US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the “on orbit” weapon was needed to protect US forces.
He also said the US was ready for “evolving threats”, but did not elaborate on the weapon’s capabilities or when it was put into orbit.
Senior military leaders have previously alleged Russia has an anti-satellite nuclear weapon, capable of attacking other satellites in low Earth orbit.
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Moscow denied the claims at the time, saying it was “fake news from Washington”.
China, meanwhile, is believed to be developing systems to capture other spacecraft and refuel while doing so, according to patent-related documents, procurement notices and academic papers seen by Reuters earlier this month.
Mr Meink was speaking at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference on Monday, a professional military development event.
The White House said space-based capabilities – and interceptor missiles – were key to its planned “Golden Dome” defence system.
Donald Trump’s commitment to space defence was displayed during his first term when he established the US Space Force in 2019.
In April, US Space Command and allies conducted war games simulating a potential nuclear orbital strike from Russia, a scenario the US did not want to see but was forced to prepare for based on intelligence and reporting, according to General Stephen Whiting.
Last year, he issued an executive order underlining the newest military branch’s role not only defending assets, but also as an attacking force.
And the President has recently held Space Force in his thoughts, proposing a new uniform for the service on Truth Social.
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US Space Force Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman said China was a “substantial” threat with rapidly developing space-based weaponry in July.
Britain revealed it conducted a joint operation with US Space Command to demonstrate its ability to work with allies in space in September last year.
Both countries publicly announced US Space Force operations working from a base in Colorado directed a US military satellite to swoop near a British satellite – but did not reveal that a Chinese satellite passed about 83 kilometres beneath them during the mission, according to space intelligence company Slingshot Aerospace.
Space military experts said the operation was likely a signal to Beijing to demonstrate allied unity and a warning to not interfere with the British satellite.
A US Space Force spokesman told the BBC: “Space control encapsulates the mission areas required to contest and control the space domain – employing kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect adversary capabilities through disruption, degradation and even destruction, if necessary.
“These capabilities can be employed for offensive and defensive purposes at the direction of combatant commands.”
In February, it was revealed Russian satellites had intercepted the communications of European ones since it started its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russian satellites were observed making suspicious manoeuvres in orbit, closely approaching European satellites.
Military experts said the behaviour was similar to Moscow’s threats on Earth as the country tests boundaries.
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