Space becomes new battlefield as US confirms weapons deployed in orbit

The militarisation of space is no longer a concept of the future, it seems.

The United States has confirmed that it has deployed weapons in Earth’s orbit, marking the first public acknowledgment by Washington of offensive space-based capabilities, presenting them as necessary to protect US forces from hostile actions by adversaries.

Speaking at an event on Monday, US Secretary of the Air Force, Troy Meink, said the US needed to be prepared for "evolving threats" in space, but did not disclose what type of weapon had been deployed, its capabilities or when it was placed in orbit.

The US Space Force, the space service branch of the American Armed Forces, also confirmed the presence of weapons in orbit, describing them as "on-orbit space control weapons" capable of defending US forces against hostile actions.