US Confirms It Has Deployed Weapons in Space for First Time

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

Troy Meink, the US secretary of the air force, said Washington had active "on-orbit" weapons, meaning the weapons have been deployed and are currently circling the globe, according to the report.

The disclosure marks what The Guardian described as an "extraordinary public announcement" by US officials, breaking with the traditional reticence of the Pentagon and other agencies about the specifics of space-based military capabilities.

Analysts cited in the report warned that the confirmation could accelerate a high-risk arms race in Earth's orbit, particularly involving Russia and China, both of which have been developing their own space-based military technologies in recent years.

The report did not specify the exact nature or number of the weapons systems referenced by Meink, nor did it provide additional detail on when the weapons were deployed or their intended targets or capabilities.

Space has increasingly become a domain of strategic military competition among major powers, with the US, Russia and China all investing in satellite technology, anti-satellite systems and other space-based capabilities in recent years, according to analysts.

The Guardian's report suggested that the confirmation of an active US space weapons capability could prompt further reaction from rival powers and increase scrutiny of the militarization of space, an area that has historically been governed by international treaties limiting weapons deployment.