Meink Reveals Space Force Has On-Orbit Space Control Weapons

… <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Meink’s explicit nod to U.S.-operated space weapons comes amid a concerted push to <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/saltzman-space-force-destruction-offensive-space/?_gl=1*wloyz3*_up*MQ..*_ga*MjA0MzE0MzU5MC4xNzg5MzkzNDIz*_ga_6ZPT8CC738*czE3ODkzOTM0MjMkbzEkZzAkdDE3ODkzOTM0MjMkajYwJGwwJGg2OTM1MzgwODM.">speak more openly</a> about on-orbit threats and the Space Force’s ability to respond to them. China and Russia, in particular, continue to demonstrate aggressive maneuvers and are developing—and demonstrating—space weapons of their own. U.S. officials in recent years have discussed the need for <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/new-space-weapons-upgraded-jammer/">“counter-space” capabilities</a> and <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/spacecom-boss-space-fires/">“space fires,” </a>as well as the development of space-based interceptors designed to shoot down missile threats. And last December, President Donald Trump issued an executive order underlining the Space Force’s role in not only defending space assets, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/ensuring-american-space-superiority/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">but also in the attack mission</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">But Meink’s mention of existing on-orbit space weapons is a first. During a question and answer session following his speech, Meink said the acknowledgement was intentional and the phrasing “very well thought out.”&nbsp;</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“It is critically important that we maintain our dominance, not only in the air but in space,” he said. “So, we’ve had to take steps to make sure that when we’re threatened, we can take care of that.”</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Meink declined to discuss the capabilities in more detail during a briefing with reporters following his keynote—including whether the systems in question are kinetic or non-kinetic. He argued that while acknowledging the existence of U.S. space weapons in orbit may serve a deterrent function, &#8220;talking about the details of what we&#8217;re doing would actually not benefit that deterrence.&#8221;</p> …