From the MILTECH BRIEF event dataset — every item we publish is logged as a structured, source-graded record. Stated values only; we never estimate.
China urged the United States to halt its military build-up in outer space after the U.S. Space Force confirmed it has deployed space control weapons on orbit. Beijing warned the deployment risks triggering a space arms race and undermining strategic stability.
ChinaUnited StatesUS Space Force Defense News →Airforce Technology →
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink revealed the U.S. Space Force has space-based weapons on orbit, marking the first time a Pentagon official has publicly confirmed their existence. Meink did not specify the weapons' capabilities or numbers, but disclosed the information at an Air Force conference near Washington. Analysts suggested the public acknowledgment may prompt overt countermeasures from China and Russia.
Why it matters: Washington just ended decades of studied ambiguity about what it parks in orbit—and handed Moscow and Beijing a ready-made casus for matching escalation.
US Space ForceTroy MeinkUnited States Breaking Defense →DefenseScoop →Defense One →
The U.S. Space Force selected Lake Kickapoo, Texas, as the preferred site for the third and final radar in the Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) network. Civil construction is expected to finish in 2029, with operations beginning in 2030. The network, shared with the U.K. and Australia, will provide continuous deep-space tracking.
US Space ForceUnited StatesUnited KingdomAustralia Breaking Defense →Defence Industry Europe →
Leonardo DRS won an Other Transaction Agreement from the U.S. Space Force to develop sensor technology for detecting, tracking, and targeting fast-moving objects in orbit. The system is intended to support space superiority and space control missions. Terms were not disclosed. Leonardo DRS will continue work on sensors designed to operate in challenging conditions, including contested electromagnetic environments.