The US Space Force has “on-orbit space control weapons” capable of defending American forces from hostile action, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink publicly revealed Monday at the Pentagon in the United States’ most explicit acknowledgment to date that it has deployed military weapons in space.
“Today, we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenge of evolving threats wherever they exist,” Meink said during the opening keynote address at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.
“This is why the Space Force now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action.”
The disclosure comes as Washington has increasingly spoken publicly about the prospect of conflict in orbit and the need to protect US satellites against potential adversaries. China and Russia have developed and demonstrated technologies that US and allied officials say could threaten satellites and other space infrastructure.
Meink made clear that the wording of his announcement was deliberate. Asked about the reference during a question-and-answer session after his speech, he said the phrasing was “very well thought out.”
“It is critically important that we maintain our dominance, not only in the air but in space,” he said. “So, we’ve had to take steps to make sure that when we’re threatened, we can take care of that.”
Pentagon keeping exact details of weapons classified
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.
He said greater public acknowledgment of US capabilities could strengthen deterrence, but argued that revealing technical details could undermine that objective.
“We’re not going to talk about the specifics of what we’re doing, whether we’ve tested, not tested, or anything else,” Meink said. “I would just say that the space environment is critical for military and economic security, and we need to make sure that the US can operate freely there.”
The US has increasingly shifted toward openly treating space as a potential combat domain, as US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December 2025 on American space superiority, which instructed US agencies to improve their ability to detect, characterize, and counter threats to American interests in space.
The order also called for demonstrations of missile-defense technologies connected to Trump’s Golden Dome program, part of Washington’s broader effort to build a multilayered shield against ballistic, hypersonic, and other missile threats. The administration’s space policy has included a push to defend US interests against threats in space.
Meink highlighted two Space Force programs connected to Golden Dome: the Space-Based Interceptor program and the Space-Based Air-Moving Target Indication constellation.
The interceptor program is intended to eventually place weapons in space capable of destroying missile threats. The Pentagon has been examining several concepts for space-based missile interceptors as part of the Golden Dome architecture.
Meink said the Space-Based Interceptor program had advanced from an “initial contract to flight-ready hardware” in less than a year.
The Space Force is using a phased competition to assess whether such interceptors can be produced affordably and at sufficient scale, with an initial operational capability potentially fielded by 2028.
Golden Dome director Gen. Michael Guetlein said in August that contractors had completed the first phase, known as Gate One, which focused on design work and component testing. Contractors moving through subsequent phases are expected to build prototypes, demonstrate that the systems function in space, and ultimately show that they can be integrated into the broader Golden Dome architecture.
Golden Dome has become one of the Pentagon’s most ambitious missile-defense projects, combining ground, sea, and space-based elements. Israel Aerospace Industries has previously expressed interest in participating in the project, citing its experience developing the Arrow missile-defense family jointly with the United States. Israel Aerospace Industries has sought a role in Golden Dome
SpaceX satellites due to begin launching
The Space Force is also developing its Space-Based Air-Moving Target Indication, or AMTI, constellation with the National Reconnaissance Office.
The program is designed to move some of the military’s aircraft-tracking mission into space, reducing reliance on airborne platforms vulnerable to enemy air defenses.
SpaceX received a $4.2 billion contract in May to begin building the constellation, according to Air & Space Forces Magazine. Meink said the first satellites are scheduled to launch in September, although the Space Force has not disclosed how many spacecraft will be included in the initial launch or the eventual size of the constellation.
“Taken together, these investments will help us adapt and scale the force for today and tomorrow’s threats,” Meink said.
The central disclosure and quotes are verified against the September 14 report, and I kept the distinction between confirmed weapons in orbit and the still-undisclosed question of whether they are kinetic or non-kinetic.
