• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. US publicly confirms "on-orbit space control weapons" deployment.
  2. Weapons aim to defend US forces from hostile actions.
  3. Outer Space Treaty doesn't ban conventional space weapons.

The United States on Tuesday publicly acknowledged, for the first time, that it has weapons deployed in space. The announcement was made at the Air, Space and Cyber Conference in Maryland. It is being seen as a strong message to countries such as China and Russia as competition and military activity in space continue to increase.

US Confirms It Has Weapons In Space

According to reports, US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the weapons are already in orbit and can be used to protect American and allied forces from attacks by other countries. Meink said the US needs to be prepared to deal with threats wherever they arise, including in space.

“Today we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenges of evolving threats wherever they exist...This is why the United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action,” Meink said as quoted by CNN.

What Are These Space Weapons?

The US government has not revealed exactly what these weapons are, how many have been deployed or where they are located. However, the US has described them as “on-orbit space control weapons.” Notably, space control refers to technologies that can help protect a country's satellites and other space-based systems while also countering an enemy's activities in space.

These weapons may include systems that interfere with or disrupt enemy satellites without physically destroying them. It can also have capabilities designed to physically damage or destroy spacecraft. The announcement is significant as it comes at a time when the US is increasingly concerned about the ability of countries such as China and Russia to target American satellites.

Echoing such concerns, Meink said, “It is critically important that we maintain our dominance not only in the air but in space, and so we’ve had to take steps to make sure that when we are threatened, we can take care of that.” Earlier, US intelligence had raised concerns about Russia's development of a possible space-based nuclear weapon. However, Moscow had denied such claims.

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Is It Legal?

The main international agreement governing activities in space is the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. The treaty clearly bans countries from putting nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction into orbit around Earth. It also prohibits countries from placing such weapons in outer space. The treaty places restrictions on military activities on the Moon and other celestial bodies. This implies countries cannot establish military bases or fortifications there, test weapons or conduct military manoeuvres on celestial bodies.

However, the treaty does not clearly ban conventional weapons from being placed in Earth’s orbit. This means that the treaty does not prohibit all types of non-nuclear weapons from being used or deployed in space. So, the US disclosure does not automatically mean that Washington has broken the treaty. Whether it is legal depends on what kind of weapons they are and how they are used.

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China Reacts

Meanwhile, China has reacted to the US deployment of weapons in outer space, warning against any move to start an arms race or turn space into a battlefield. A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote in a post on Xsaid, “China stands for peaceful use of outer space and keeping it safe, and opposes any arms race in outer space or any attempt to weaponize it and turn it into a warzone.”

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