# America's secret space weapons are now public

> The U.S. just admitted to orbiting weapons in space, escalating a shadowy arms race with China and Russia that could reshape warfare.
- Title: America's secret space weapons are now public · Slate Magazine
- Summary: The U.S. just admitted to orbiting weapons in space, escalating a shadowy arms race with China and Russia that could reshape warfare. The U.S. has…
- Keywords: space weapons, united states military, china, russia, anti-satellite weapons, space command, arms race, outer space treaty, satellite defense, space security, troy meink, deterrence
- Source: Slate Magazine — https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/09/space-weapon-us-china-russia.html?via=rss
- Author: Fred Kaplan
- Published: 2026-09-17T19:34:47.068+00:00
- Read time: 3 min
- Topics: space weapons, united states military, china, russia, anti-satellite weapons, space command, arms race, outer space treaty, satellite defense, space security, troy meink, deterrence
## U.S. admits to space weapons
Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink publicly declared this week that the United States has weapons orbiting in outer space. It was the first time a U.S. official has ever made this acknowledgment.

> the United States has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action
## China and Russia already doing this
Chinese and Russian officials condemned the announcement as warmongering. But both countries have been launching, testing, and orbiting anti-satellite weapons for over a decade with far greater sophistication than the U.S.
## A measured response, not escalation
Retired Lt. Gen. John Shaw, former deputy commander of U.S. Space Command, called Meink's remarks a measured response to what China and Russia have long been doing. This contrasts with most U.S. arms races over the past 80 years.
## America depends on satellites
The U.S. military relies on space assets more than any other country. Satellites provide reconnaissance, early warning of attacks, GPS guidance for weapons, and communications. Losing them would cripple military capability.
## Anti-satellite attacks come first
If the U.S. goes to war with Russia or China, experts believe the first shots would be anti-satellite attacks, followed by cyberattacks on military and civilian networks. This would degrade America's ability to fight.
## U.S. has bigger tools, glassier houses
America has more powerful cyberattack capabilities than China or Russia. But the U.S. military, economy, and society are far more dependent on software networks, making them more vulnerable to cyberattacks.
## Outgunned in space
A former defense and intelligence official said the U.S. is not only more vulnerable to space attacks but outgunned. We're improving but not remotely able to respond to the threat level China and Russia pose.

> The U.S. is absolutely vulnerable to a Pearl Harbor in space
## Why announce now?
Some officials worry Meink's speech could provoke China and Russia to accelerate their programs. Others see it as strategic communication meant to deter adversaries by showing the U.S. can respond in kind.
## What weapons are we talking about?
Meink didn't specify what weapons the U.S. has in orbit. Based on Russian and Chinese programs, they likely include jammers, laser dazzlers that blind satellites, and co-orbital interceptors that collide with targets.
## Not nukes, not kinetic weapons
Meink ruled out nuclear weapons, which are banned by the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and would destroy U.S. satellites too. Kinetic weapons like bullets or bombs would create debris that damages friendly satellites.
## Russia and China way ahead
Russia and China have been testing anti-satellite weapons in provocative ways for years. They've closed the gap and demonstrated maneuvers the U.S. cannot do. Military agencies often can't even detect their activities.
## Space became a war domain
Once any realm becomes a military domain, weapons inevitably follow. This happened in air, oceans, and cyberspace. In 2011, President Obama declared space congested, contested, and competitive, acknowledging the shift.
## Diplomacy failed, Putin ended talks
The U.S. and Russia held treaty discussions in 2014 and 2020 to manage space conflicts. But Russia was seeking leverage, not limits. Putin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine ended any chance of agreement.
## China now leads the race
China has emerged as the dominant player in the space weapons arms race. Trump and Xi Jinping are unlikely to discuss limits at their upcoming summit, given more urgent issues and both leaders' reluctance to constrain competition.
## Key takeaway

The U.S. has acknowledged space weapons for the first time, but China and Russia have been testing far more sophisticated anti-satellite capabilities for over a decade without public disclosure.