Recently, senior officials from the US Air Force and Space Force have publicly confirmed that new space weapons have been deployed in Earth’s orbit to protect US ground forces. This move is seen as a significant step to counter threats from China, Russia, and engage in the space race.
On Monday, US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed for the first time during a meeting that the US currently has in-orbit space control weapons to protect joint ground forces. However, he later told reporters, “We will not discuss the specific details of the deployed weapon – whether it has been tested or any other relevant information.”
On Tuesday, US Space Force Commander Douglas Schiess revealed that military personnel are operating in-orbit weapons to protect forces from space threats and will carefully select further enhancements to the defense arsenal.
On Wednesday, General Greg Gagnon, commander of the Space Force Operations Command, also confirmed the deployment of new space weapons by the US military, emphasizing that no details would be disclosed as “no matter how much you want to know, Beijing would want to know more.”
When asked about the capabilities of the newly disclosed in-orbit weapon and how it would complement existing systems in the space weapons arsenal, Gagnon replied, “All weapon systems complement each other. When you integrate them in military operations, they work together cohesively.”
According to Reuters, the deployment of new space weapons by the US military is aimed at deterring activities by China and Russia in Earth’s orbit. Additionally, the US military recently conducted large-scale exercises involving in-orbit weapons.
The Wall Street Journal reported that US officials believe Iran obtained high-resolution satellite images from a Chinese entity before and after launching a ballistic missile attack on the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in northeast Jordan on July 17. The attack resulted in three US soldiers killed and several others injured. However, Beijing denied these allegations.
Last week, reports confirmed that China’s suspected military satellite Yaogan-50 (02) was found disintegrating in space for unknown reasons.
Jonathan McDowell, a former orbital analysis expert at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, disclosed on September 14 that the US Space Force’s 18th Space Defense Squadron cataloged debris from China’s Yaogan-50 (02) satellite disintegration on September 4.
The timeline of the Wall Street Journal’s report on the disintegration of the Chinese reconnaissance satellite has sparked various speculations online.
Rumors circulating on social media suggest that the US Space Force destroyed the Chinese satellite as a retaliatory measure since Beijing provided satellite reconnaissance intelligence to Iran, resulting in US casualties. However, there is currently no evidence supporting this claim.
Previously, the US space weapons arsenal primarily relied on ground-based jammers, including the Counter Communications System used since 2020, the Meadowlark system deployed this July, and the Remote Modular Terminal set to be fully deployed soon.
These jamming systems aim to temporarily disrupt Chinese and Russian communication satellites without destroying them.
Gagnon revealed that the newly introduced weapon belongs to the in-orbit (space) section of the US space weapons arsenal, complementing existing systems for cohesive use in military operations. However, he refused to disclose further details.
Victoria Samson, an analyst at the Secure World Foundation, commented, “This weapon is deployed in space, making it unique. Reports suggest that China and Russia already have space-based jammers, so it would be surprising if the US did not.”
Samson noted that compared to laser or particle beam weapons, jammers may be easier to deploy in Earth’s orbit.
However, Clayton Swope, an aerospace researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, commented that the US military’s deployment may not be limited to jammers.
He stated that if the US currently only deployed jammers that temporarily blind Chinese or Russian satellites, outsiders might perceive that “the US may not be willing to use kinetic weapons in physical space.” He referred to more destructive weapons that attack and destroy satellites.
In 2022, the US pledged not to conduct destructive anti-satellite missile tests. Swope noted, “This is a very specific commitment.”
He explained, “The intent of this specific test moratorium commitment is that during peacetime, there is no reason to create debris that could jeopardize space orbit safety. However, wartime situations are different.”
Gagnon also stated Wednesday that the US policy against creating space debris applies to weapon testing but did not explicitly state whether this ban applied to the new weapon.
Gagnon said, “We have these capabilities to help establish deterrence. That is to say, something will inevitably be destroyed once the war breaks out.”
Officials from the US Space Command emphasized that publicly acknowledging the deployment of these space weapons and possession of such capabilities will help establish deterrence and allow for effective responses when necessary.