US Confirms Deployment of Weapons in Space for First Time

The United States has confirmed for the first time that it has deployed weapons into space, according to a statement from the US military reported by The Guardian.

US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink announced that Washington now has active "on-orbit" weapons, meaning the systems have been deployed and are currently circling the Earth, according to the report.

The disclosure marks an unusual public acknowledgment from the US government on a subject that has historically been shrouded in secrecy, the report said.

Analysts cited by The Guardian warned that the announcement could accelerate a high-risk arms race in Earth's orbit involving Russia and China, both of which have been developing their own space-based military capabilities.

Further details on the nature, number, or specific capabilities of the deployed weapons were not disclosed in the available reporting.

The confirmation comes amid growing international concern over the militarization of space, with experts and officials in multiple countries previously raising alarms about the potential for weapons systems in orbit to destabilize global security arrangements.