US confirms for first time it has deployed weapons in space

Analysts warn of an acceleration in high-risk arms race with Russia and China in Earth’s orbit

The US has deployed weapons in space, the US military has confirmed, in an extraordinary public announcement that analysts warn will accelerate a high-risk arms race with Russia and China in Earth’s orbit.

The US secretary of the air force, Troy Meink, said Washington had active “on-orbit” weapons, meaning they had been deployed and were circling the globe.