What Kind of Weapons Has the US Placed in Earth’s Orbit?
News Desk
Washington: The United States (US) has publicly acknowledged deploying weapons in space to protect its forces and those of its allies, but has not disclosed exactly what weapons have been placed in Earth’s orbit.
The issue came into focus after Troy Meink, Under Secretary of the US Air Force, said at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference that the United States had deployed space-based weapons as part of its preparations to counter evolving threats from potential adversaries.
His remarks have drawn attention because US officials have traditionally described many space-based military assets as “systems” or “capabilities,” rather than explicitly referring to them as weapons.
So, what kind of weapons could the United States have in space?
There is no publicly confirmed list. US officials have not revealed the number, location or specific nature of the systems referred to by Meink.
However, experts say the weapons are unlikely to be conventional bombs or explosive devices. Bleddyn Bowen, an associate professor at Durham University in the United Kingdom, suggested that the systems could instead involve electronic warfare capabilities, including technologies designed to disrupt or interfere with satellite communications and signals.
Such systems could potentially affect an adversary’s ability to communicate, navigate or operate space-based assets without physically destroying a satellite. They would also avoid the creation of large amounts of space debris associated with kinetic attacks.
Electronic warfare is only one possibility. Major military powers are developing a range of counterspace capabilities, including systems intended to interfere with satellite signals, disrupt communications or otherwise limit an opponent’s use of space-based infrastructure. The precise capabilities deployed by the US remain undisclosed.
Victoria Samson, director of space security at the Secure World Foundation, told Al Jazeera that the US Space Force’s concept of “space control” is aimed at achieving space superiority. She said this could involve enabling US forces to operate in space while limiting an adversary’s ability to do so.
The development has also raised concerns about the possibility of an expanding space arms race.
Samson warned that openly acknowledging weapons in space could encourage countries such as China and Russia to reveal or expand their own counterspace capabilities. This could have consequences on Earth because modern economies and military operations rely heavily on satellites for GPS navigation, communications, surveillance, weather monitoring and other services.
A US Space Force spokesperson defended Meink’s remarks, saying developments involving Russia and China had already demonstrated that space had become a potential theater of conflict. The spokesperson argued that greater openness could reduce misunderstandings and help deter aggression.
China and Russia have expressed opposition to the militarisation of outer space.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said China opposed turning space into a battlefield and called for an end to preparations for space warfare.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia supports an outer space free of weapons and called for international cooperation to achieve the demilitarisation of space.
The controversy also highlights a gap in existing international law. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty prohibits placing nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in orbit, but it does not establish a comprehensive ban on conventional weapons or all forms of electronic warfare in space.
As a result, countries can develop and deploy certain military capabilities in orbit while remaining within the treaty’s existing restrictions.
