For the first time, the US military confirms it has deployed weapons in orbit - Ars Technica (opens in a new tab)

arstechnica.com · 2026-09-15

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For the first time, the US military confirms it has deployed weapons in orbit - Ars Technica

arstechnica.com · 2026-09-15

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Claim 1 of 4Not checkedAir Force Secretary Troy Meink made the first public declaration that the United States has placed "space control weapons" in orbit.View evidenceHide evidence

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Claim 2 of 4Not checkedMeink said the weapons are capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action.View evidenceHide evidence

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Claim 3 of 4Not checkedThe article says the disclosure underscores a remarkable turnaround in the Pentagon’s thinking about orbital warfare, with officials more openly discussing space warfare, orbital combat, defensive countermeasures, and counterspace weapons.View evidenceHide evidence

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Claim 4 of 4Not checkedThe story frames the announcement in the context of U.S. concerns about Russia and China developing or operating counterspace systems and satellites that could threaten U.S. assets in orbit.View evidenceHide evidence

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