US military has ‘on-orbit’ space weapons, Air Force Secretary reveals

Photo: Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink speaks during the change of responsibility ceremony for Chief of Space Operations Gen. Douglas Schiess on Joint Base Andrews, Md., Sept. 3, 2026. Photo credit: U.S. Air Force / Eric Dietrich via DVIDS. Public Domain. Article by Thomas Novelly. Defense One – September 14, 2026.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.—Air Force Secretary Troy Meink acknowledged that the U.S. has space weapons, a public revelation that some experts said could accelerate an arms race in orbit. “Today, we continue to ensure we remain ready to meet the challenges of evolving threats wherever they exist,” Mink said during his Monday morning speech at the Air, Space, Cyber conference here. “This is why the United States now has, on orbit, space-control weapons, capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversaries.” […]

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