Asia Defense | Security

The Space Security Landscape Is Deteriorating Rapidly

With the United States announcing that it has deployed “on-orbit space control weapons,” the space arms race now appears to be fully underway. 

Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink delivers a keynote address during the 2026 Air, Space & Cyber Conference at the National Harbor, Md., Sept 14, 2026.

There is little doubt that great power competition is ramping up. Now, another front has opened, with the United States announcing that it has deployed a space weapon. China, and subsequently Russia, had been pushing the limits in space, testing advanced technologies with possible offensive uses in outer space, including cyber weapons, ground-based lasers, and artificial robotic arms that could be used for repairing satellites but also have obvious military and intelligence uses. Now the U.S. has responded by joining the developing arms race, which is likely to spur further competition.

The space arms race now appears to be fully underway. 

The acknowledgement of U.S. space weapons was made by U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink. He revealed that the U.S. Space Force has launched “space control weapons” into orbit. Delivering a keynote address at a recent Air and Space Forces Association (AFA) conference, Meink said that “the United States now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action.” 

Not surprisingly, he justified this step with reference to the threats from China and Russia, both of which “continue to demonstrate aggressive maneuvers and are developing – and demonstrating – space weapons of their own.” 

Meink is not the only U.S. official who has talked about these new space weapons. 

Addressing the “State of the Space Force” at the AFA conference, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Douglas Schiess made an unequivocal claim that the U.S. Space Force “uses active space-based weaponry to support United States national defense.” He noted the “increasingly contested” space domain where adversaries have technologies that are meant to disrupt or destroy satellites in orbit. He also made a mention of hypersonic weapons that pose a threat to the United States and its allies and partners. 

While details are scanty and there has been no elaboration of the weapon systems that have been launched, this is clearly a recognition of and a response to what Russia and China have been doing in terms of their own space weapons. In fact, Meink dismissed ideas from journalists that the U.S. announcement of developing space control weapons could give permission to its adversaries pursuing space weapons. The race is already on.

Space is central to U.S. national security and war fighting efforts. The domain represents essential eyes and ears for military operations, which meant that the United States could not afford to ignore China and Russia’s threats and advancements. 

Threats to national assets in outer space have grown rapidly and are very diverse today.........

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