China warns against space ‘battlefield’ after U.S. says weapons deployed
‘The US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action.’
‘The US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action.’
PARIS, France (AFP) — China Tuesday warned against turning outer space into a “battlefield” and Russia said it must be “free from any weapon” after the United States confirmed for the first time that it has arms deployed in orbit above the Earth.
Analysts said that the revelation by Washington confirmed an open secret but the timing of the announcement risked exacerbating tensions with Beijing and the risk of a weapons race in space.
The announcement marked a new stage in the major powers’ rush for military space capabilities, driven by rapid technological advancements but lacking a comprehensive legal framework.
“The US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action,” a US Space Force spokesperson said in a statement that did not provide specifics on the weapons.
China’s foreign ministry opposed the move, warning against the “weaponization of outer space, turning it into a battlefield, as well as an arms race there.”
“We urge the US side to stop expanding its military capabilities and preparing for war in outer space,” ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a news briefing.
Russia called Tuesday for space to be kept “free of any weapons.”
“We are counting on broad international consolidation to continue working toward the complete demilitarization of space,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.
What are the US capabilities?
The US statement did not provide concrete details about what weapons are deployed in space and how many.
“Space control encapsulates the mission areas required to contest and control the space domain — employing kinetic and non-kinetic means to affect adversary capabilities,” the statement said.
“These capabilities can be employed for offensive and defensive purposes,” it added.
Non-kinetic means could include lasers to blind satellites, or even electromagnetic or cyber jamming of their data links.
For Washington, both Russia and China — its two main geopolitical rivals — pose potential threats to US interests in space.
