Key facts
- Russia's Foreign Ministry stated the U.S. acknowledgement of deploying orbital weapons ignores potential consequences of space conflict.
- Maria Zakharova warned Washington's actions risk catastrophic outcomes for humanity and space exploration.
- US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed the U.S. possesses "on-orbit space control weapons" capable of defending the Joint Force.
- The U.S. acknowledged the deployment of space control weapons for the first time.
- China stated Washington is "preparing for war in outer space."
- Germany plans to develop non-kinetic space options and intelligence-gathering satellites.
Russia's Foreign Ministry stated that the U.S. acknowledgement of deploying orbital weapons disregards the potential consequences of space conflict and threatens long-term stability. Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that Washington's actions risk catastrophic outcomes for humanity and prospects for space exploration.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed on Monday that the United States possessed "on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action." This statement marked the strongest admission by a U.S. official of American weapons in space amid rising tensions with Russia and China.
Richard Palmer, director of Capability and Resource Integration Directorate at US Space Command, called the acknowledgment a "landmark" move to deter aggression. He emphasized the critical need for space access for joint and allied forces, as well as for economies. Germany has a 35-billion euro military space spending plan to counter threats, with plans to fund intelligence-gathering systems and non-kinetic disruption options against adversary spacecraft, though not destructive weapons that generate debris.