US confirms space weapons deployed to counter ‘hostile' threats: what we know

The U.S. has confirmed that it has deployed weapons in space to protect against “hostile adversary action.”

The statement came from the U.S. Air Force secretary, who said the U.S. already has space weapons in place above the Earth.

It marked the first official confirmation from the top-ranking U.S. military official.

Troy Meink was speaking at the Air, Space & Cyber Conference in Maryland on Monday, September 14, 2026.

Although the U.S. Air Force secretary didn’t detail the exact count as to the nature of the weapon it had deployed in space and whether it had even been tested.

However, he confirmed the Space Force had “on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action.”

Meink provided context behind the move, adding, "It was critically important that we maintain our dominance, not only in the air but in space.

“We’ve had to take steps to make sure that when we’re threatened, we can take care of that."

For context, President Donald Trump last year revealed plans for a “Golden Dome” missile defence system including both ground systems and “space-based sensors and interceptors.”

Trump said the system would let the U.S. shoot down incoming missiles, “even if they are launched from the other side of the world.”

The Pentagon officials have warned that new measures are necessary to counter the threat posed by the launch of hypersonic and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) developed by Russia and China.