US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink has publicly acknowledged that the Space Force has “on-orbit space control weapons,” marking the Pentagon’s clearest confirmation yet that US weapons are operating in space. Speaking Monday at the Air & Space Forces Association’s annual conference in National Harbor, Maryland, Meink said the systems could defend US forces against hostile action but declined to say whether they were kinetic or non-kinetic. The disclosure comes as Washington warns that China and Russia are expanding counterspace capabilities. In May 2024, the Pentagon said Russia had launched a satellite it assessed was likely capable of attacking other spacecraft. European governments have also grown more concerned about Russian activity near Western satellites, including maneuvers close to the Finnish-Polish company ICEYE’s spacecraft used to support Ukraine in congested and contested orbit. Meink said the wording of his announcement was deliberate, but added that revealing technical details could undermine deterrence.