For the first time, the US Space Command will invite representatives of commercial space companies to participate in secret war games, dedicated to sensitive national security scenarios. This underscores the growing integration between military and commercial space infrastructure.
28 January 2026 General Stephen Whiting, commander of the US Space Command, during his speech at the SpaceCom conference, Space Mobility said, that initial training will be devoted to that, how the United States would respond to the potential placement of weapons of mass destruction in space. General Whiting explained, that the idea of commercially integrated tabletop exercises arose from reports of Russian intentions to place nuclear weapons in orbit.
For reference: SpaceCom Space Mobility is the leading national forum, dedicated to the formation of the logistics infrastructure of the US Space Force.
Space Command already works closely with commercial operators, since much of modern space activity and infrastructure, on which the performance of military tasks depends, owned and operated by private companies. Whiting noted, that the next logical step would be to involve these firms directly in secret planning discussions.
The training will start in March this year and will be held quarterly with a selected group of commercial partners. The first session will be devoted to the threat of weapons of mass destruction
in space and reflections on weapons of mass destruction in space, if that happens".
The prospect of nuclear weapons in orbit touches on long-standing international legal restrictions. The Outer Space Treaty 1967 prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction (ZMU) in orbit around the Earth, setting it on heavenly bodies, such as the Moon, or placing in space in any other way. However, analysts note, that the prohibition of the contract is narrower, than it might seem. It does not ban all weapons in space. Anti-satellite weapons, electronic warfare, cyber operations and other counterspace capabilities are beyond.
Source: https://spacenews.com