US Makes Big Move in Space to Handle 'Evolving Threats'

The US just quietly crossed a new line in space. For the first time, Washington has acknowledged placing a weapon in Earth's orbit, with Air Force Secretary Troy Meink announcing on Monday that the "on orbit" system is meant to protect US forces from hostile acts in space. He offered no details on what the weapon can do or when it was deployed, citing only "evolving threats," per the BBC. "Senior military leaders have previously said they planned to boost military capabilities in space, citing Russian and Chinese programs developing ways to attack and disrupt US satellites in a future conflict," the outlet notes.

A US Space Force spokesperson says the military goal of "space control" may entail "employing kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect adversary capabilities through disruption, degradation, and even destruction, if necessary." Although Meink wouldn't get into why the news is being disclosed now, he did say the weapon is "important from a deterrence perspective," per the Washington Post.

Ars Technica notes that the fact this weaponry exists "underlines a remarkable turnaround in the Pentagon's thinking about orbital warfare, something no senior official wanted to discuss publicly until a few years ago." The move dovetails with President Trump's push for a "Golden Dome" missile-defense architecture and an increasingly assertive US Space Force, per the BBC.