US Confirms On-Orbit Weapons Ahead of Xi Summit

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed at the AFA conference on September 14 that the US has on-orbit space control weapons to defend the Joint Force. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty bans only nuclear weapons in orbit, not conventional ones. The Space-Based Interceptor program has already awarded $3.2 billion in contracts to 12 companies.

• Meink confirmed on-orbit weapons on September 14 at the AFA conference
• The 1967 treaty bans only nuclear weapons in orbit, not conventional ones
• SBI program: 20 agreements worth $3.2 billion with 12 companies
• Over 36,000 tracked objects and 140 million fragments are in orbit