TJ Madsen is among the founding members of the New Herald Tribune and chairs the editorial board. He worked for national syndicated newspapers in Newark, Philadelphia, and Baltimore before moving to the midwest.
September 15 , 2026
WASHINGTON — Air Force Secretary Troy Meink acknowledged Tuesday that the classified X-37B orbital space plane carries laser systems capable of locking onto the cell signal of an individual phone, raising fresh questions about the expanding surveillance capabilities of the U.S. military.
Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, Meink said the system is designed to identify and track communications signals from orbit. Officials declined to discuss the laser's range, resolution, or the circumstances under which the technology may be deployed.
Asked whether ordinary Americans should be concerned, Meink offered an unusually direct warning. "If your friend's a terrorist, don't hold his phone,” the secretary said.
The remarks immediately drew attention from lawmakers and civil-liberties advocates, who questioned what legal safeguards govern the technology.
Defense officials stressed that the X-37B remains a classified military platform and said many details of its capabilities cannot be discussed publicly. The space plane has conducted multiple long-duration missions in orbit, though its precise activities have traditionally remained secret.
Meink's comments represent one of the clearest public acknowledgments yet that the spacecraft can perform sophisticated signal-detection operations from space.
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