Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink publicly confirmed for the first time that the U.S. Space Force has deployed space control weapons to orbit, during a keynote address at the Air & Space Forces Association’s 2026 Air, Space & Cyber Conference on Sept. 14, 2026.
“This is why the United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action,” Meink said in his speech, according to multiple outlets. He did not specify what types of weapons are on orbit, how many are deployed, or when they were launched, and the Department of the Air Force declined to provide further detail.
Meink said the phrasing was “well thought out” and that maintaining U.S. space capabilities is necessary as adversaries develop their own threats. “It is critically important that we maintain our dominance not only in the air but in space, and so that we’ve had to take steps to make sure that when we’re threatened, we can take care of that,” he said.
He also said it’s important to discuss the existence of such weapons to establish deterrence, but that specific details like test events and capabilities “would actually not benefit that deterrence.” During a media roundtable after the speech, Meink declined to comment on the type of weapons or why the announcement was made now.
Space control, as defined by the Space Force’s warfighting framework, includes both offensive and defensive actions, electromagnetic warfare, and other counterspace operations. Potential on-orbit operations include orbital strike—actions that “destroy, disrupt or degrade adversary space platforms in the space domain” through kinetic or non-kinetic effects—and space link interdiction, which uses non-kinetic means like electromagnetic or cyber attacks to prevent adversaries from using their space-based systems.
Meink also revealed new details about other programs. He said the first of many air-moving target indication satellites will be launched this month. On the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone wingman program, he said the Air Force has officially named its first drones: Anduril’s FQ-44A will keep the industry name “Fury,” while General Atomics’ FQ-42A, internally called “Dark Merlin,” will be called “Vengeance” by the Air Force. He did not say how many drones will come from the program’s first increment or from successive development rounds.
Meink’s statement is the most direct public acknowledgment by a U.S. official to date regarding space control weapons, but he did not say when the weapons were launched or how many are in orbit.
Sources: Breaking Defense · Defense One · Air & Space Forces Magazine · DefenseScoop · Breaking Defense · Defense News