WASHINGTON — The US military has launched mysterious weapons with secret capabilities into space amid fears that Russia and China have been feeding Iran satellite intelligence, the Air Force’s top civilian official revealed Monday.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed the existence of American space-based weapons for the first time in remarks to the Air & Space Forces Association’s annual conference, but didn’t specify how many were in orbit or how long they had been there.
“Today, we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenges of evolving threats wherever they exist,” said Meink, per DefenseScoop.
“This is why the United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary actions.”
“It’s important from a deterrence perspective,” the secretary added.
President Trump has long had a fascination with space-based military capabilities, having established the Space Force during his first term and pushed for the so-called Golden Dome space-based missile defense system.
Beijing bristled at Meink’s revelation.
“China has long been committed to the peaceful use of outer space and safeguarding the security in space,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters.
“We oppose any arms race in outer space or any attempts to weaponize it or turn it into a war zone. We urge the U.S. to stop expanding military buildup in outer space and safeguard global strategic stability with concrete actions.”
