The US Space Force has publicly confirmed for the first time that it has deployed "space control weapons" into orbit, though officials have not disclosed what the weapons are or when and how they were launched. The acknowledgement, made by US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink at the Air and Space Forces Association conference, marks a shift from the usual secrecy surrounding such capabilities and has drawn sharp criticism from China and the BRICS nations, who warn it could fuel an arms race in space.

Experts speculate the weaponry could range from jamming or electronic-warfare systems to inspector satellites, with a kinetic or ballistic weapon considered less likely given the risk of generating debris and triggering a cascading "Kessler Syndrome" scenario. Dr Bleddyn Bowen of Durham University suggested the confirmation may be more about signalling US resolve than revealing new capability, noting Washington is unlikely to risk debris-heavy tactics in busy orbits. The move follows a long history of grey areas around the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, including the Soviet Union's armed Salyut 3 station and the US's past Star Wars missile-defence programme, and comes as the current administration pursues its "Golden Dome" satellite defence initiative.