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(The Hill) — The United States has launched a weapon into orbit that will be used to protect American troops, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink revealed Monday.
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Speaking at the annual Air, Space and Cyber Conference at National Harbor, Md., Meink did not give details as to the type of weapon that is now in space or when it was launched, but said it will “make sure that when we’re threatened, we can take care of that.”
“Today we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenges of evolving threats wherever they exist,” Meink said. “This is why the United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action.”
Meink also said it is “critically important that we maintain our dominance not only in the air but in space.”
Citing a U.S. official, The Washington Post reported that the weapon could allow the militaryto take out an enemy’s satellite should it be used to target American troops or a U.S. satellite.
This is the first time a U.S. official has acknowledged the country has such a space capability after warning that China and Russia were developing their own weapons to threaten U.S. satellites and forces.
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The admission quickly roiled Beijing and Moscow, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday warning Washington to “stop preparing for war” in space.
“China stands for peaceful use of the outer space and keeping it safe, and opposes any arms race in outer space or any attempt to weaponize it and turn it into a warzone. We urge the U.S. to stop its military build-up in the outer space, and uphold global strategic stability with concrete actions,” the ministry posted to X.
The Kremlin also responded Tuesday, according to state media.
“We believe that space must be free of any weapon,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow. “We are counting on broad international consolidation to continue working toward the complete demilitarization of space.”
Meink on Monday brushed aside potential criticisms from the two countries, telling reporters: “Is there any question . . . about whether or not the Chinese or Russians have been developing these sorts of weapons?”
In addition to a space-based weapon, the Pentagon is currently developing the Golden Dome missile defense system, which will include interceptor layers and a space-based missile warning and tracking system. Golden Dome is projected to cost about $1.2 trillion to develop, deploy and operate over the next 20 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
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