US Confirms Weapons Deployed in Space for First Time

Washington: (News Desk) –  The United States has confirmed that it has weapons deployed in space, with the US Space Force acknowledging for the first time that such capabilities are currently positioned in orbit.

A US Space Force spokesperson said the United States has “on-orbit space control weapons” designed to protect its military forces from hostile actions by adversaries. The statement did not disclose details about the weapons.

According to the Space Force, space control involves missions aimed at challenging and controlling activities in the space domain through both kinetic and non-kinetic means. These capabilities can be used for both offensive and defensive purposes.

The United States considers China and Russia its main geopolitical rivals in space. The Space Force says China is developing and operating space and counterspace capabilities as part of its military modernisation, while Russia regards space as a potential battlefield and considers space superiority important in future conflicts.

The militarisation of space dates back to the early years of the space race. Following the launch of the Soviet Union’s Sputnik satellite in 1957, the United States and Moscow began exploring ways to both protect and destroy satellites.

Concerns initially focused on the possibility of nuclear weapons being deployed in space. However, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibited the placement of weapons of mass destruction in orbit.

Despite the treaty, the United States, Russia, China and India have continued developing capabilities that could be used in space warfare, including systems capable of targeting satellites. Such satellites play a crucial role in military communications, surveillance and navigation.