India, Sept. 15 -- The United States has publicly acknowledged for the first time that it has deployed weapons in orbit, with US officials describing the capability as part of efforts to protect American forces from hostile action in space.

US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink disclosed the annual Air, Space and Cyber Conference at National Harbour in Maryland, saying an "on-orbit" weapon was necessary to protect US forces against emerging threats.

The US Space Force did not disclose the specific type of weapon, but said the capability is part of its broader mission to establish "space control".

Meink's remarks marked a significant public acknowledgement of an offensive US capability in space.

While Washington has long developed military...