What weapon could the US have put into space?

The announcement by the United States that it has deployed a space weapon in Earth's orbit has raised questions about what weaponry is actually in space, and what role it could play in efforts by great powers to dominate that arena.

Washington has given away little in its announcement. Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said the "on orbit" weapon was necessary to safeguard US forces against hostile enemy action, but gave no details about the weapon's capabilities or when it was put into orbit.

So what could this weapon be, and what is wider picture like for military developments in space? Who else could have similar weaponry?

Advanced militaries already deploy satellites in space for range of purposes, from supplying secure communications to reconnaissance, and providing precise location information for targeted strikes and detecting missile launches.

As warfare become more technologically advanced, analysts expect the use of military hardware in space to increase.

Dr Bleddyn Bowen, an associate fellow in military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute and associate professor in astropolitics at Durham University, said he was only able to hazard a guess about the weapon announced by the US.

"I would expect there to be some kind of electronic warfare or radio-jamming platform, possibly, this would be a non-destructive kind of anti-satellite weapon," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Such weaponry already exists on Earth and can disrupt satellite communications, he said. "If you take out the radio links then your satellite is very useless."