The United States Admits for the First Time That It Has Weapons in Orbit — Air Force Secretary Troy Meink Says the Space Force "Now Has On-Orbit Space Control Weapons," and the Chief of Space Operations Says "It Was Time" to Say So Out Loud
On September 14, 2026, in his opening keynote at the Air & Space Forces Association's Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said that the Space Force "now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action." It was the first time any US government official has publicly acknowledged that the United States has deployed weapon systems into orbit. Meink later told reporters the acknowledgement was deliberate and the phrasing "very well thought out," while declining to say whether the systems are kinetic or non-kinetic, or whether they have been tested — arguing that specifics would undercut their deterrent value. A Space Force spokesperson subsequently said "space control" encompasses both kinetic and non-kinetic means, used to disrupt, degrade or destroy, offensively as well as defensively. The next day, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Douglas Schiess confirmed and expanded on the disclosure, framing it as an overdue act of transparency about capabilities the service already fields. China called on Washington to stop weaponizing space; Russia warned of potentially catastrophic consequences and renewed its call for "the complete demilitarization of space." As of this writing, congressional reaction has been notably muted — the House adjourned until after the midterms two days after Meink's remarks.
“Today, Guardians operate on-orbit weapons that can defend the joint force against space-enabled attacks.”