China and Russia have called on the U.S. to halt its militarization of space, following the U.S. Space Force’s first public confirmation that it has deployed weapons in orbit.
On Tuesday, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, urged the U.S. to “stop preparing for war” in space. The Foreign Ministry expressed its opposition to the “weaponization of outer space, turning it into a battlefield, as well as an arms race there”.
Russia echoed these sentiments, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating, "We are counting on broad international consolidation to continue working toward the complete demilitarization of space,” reported The Hill, citing state media. Moscow stated that "space must be free of any weapon.”
US Reveals New Space Defense Weapon
China and Russia’s criticism came as Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed on Monday that the U.S. has deployed an on-orbit space-control weapon capable of defending against hostile actions.
He did not disclose details about the weapon or its launch but said the capability is intended to counter existing threats, including from adversaries such as China and Russia.
"Is there any question . . . about whether or not the Chinese or Russians have been developing these sorts of weapons?" Meink told reporters.
Meink said the U.S. Air Force will look significantly different by 2032, with plans for thousands of autonomous one-way attack weapons and at least 500 autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs) in service.
Trump’s Golden Dome Fuels Space Arms Debate
In December, two NATO intelligence services reportedly suspected that Russia is developing an anti-satellite weapon aimed at disrupting Elon Musk’s Starlink constellation. The alleged "zone-effect" weapon could release hundreds of thousands of pellets into Starlink’s orbital paths, potentially damaging multiple satellites but also creating widespread debris and risks to other spacecraft. Experts cited in the report question its effectiveness and warn it could disrupt satellites relied on by Russia, China and other nations.
Furthermore, experts warned that the Trump administration’s Golden Dome could encourage other countries to develop similar space-based systems, accelerating the militarization of space. Reports indicated that Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX), as well as Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR), are believed to be frontrunners in the project.
Notably, the idea of an orbital defense system dates back to former President Ronald Reagan’s "Star Wars" initiative, which aimed to make nuclear weapons obsolete.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Carrie A Hanrahan / Shutterstock.com
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