In 2022, the Office of the Director for National Intelligence said that there had been at least 171 reports of unexplained aerial phenomena in the United States, and the intelligence community has been unable to determine their precise nature. authorities as unidentified aerial phenomena.
Other pre-2023 incursions have remained unexplained, classified by U.S. They did not persist as long as the 2023 incident, and China was able to recover those balloons. One occurred earlier during Joe Biden's presidency (2021–present) and three occurred during Donald Trump's presidency (2017–2021). airspace in the past, namely over Guam, Hawaii, and Florida. Suspected Chinese surveillance balloons had been detected in U.S. Past Chinese balloons and unidentified objects Its military publications have highlighted the use of balloons to assess the early warning and response capabilities of enemy air defenses and to enhance China's own defense capabilities. China recognizes the importance of catching up to foreign countries in this domain. By 2019, the Pentagon had invested millions in COLD STAR (Covert Long Dwell Stratospheric Architecture), a project for stealthy balloons that are now being transitioned from narcotics surveillance into military service. Īlthough mostly supplanted by surveillance satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles, balloons have retained some advantages, such as a lower cost of production and deployment. During the Cold War, the United States sent hundreds of high-altitude balloons, ostensibly for "meteorological survey" under Project Genetrix, over China and other Eastern Bloc countries to gain intelligence on their nuclear capabilities, drawing their protests. Their usage peaked during World War I, after which they were increasingly replaced by airplanes. Background History and development of reconnaissance balloons įurther information: History of military ballooningīalloons have been valued for their ability to observe the battlefield and direct artillery. In the United States, three other high-altitude objects, over Northern Alaska (February 10), Yukon (February 11), and Lake Huron (February 11–12) respectively, were detected and subsequently shot down a later assessment said they had no relation to China. On February 2, a similar balloon owned by China was observed flying over Latin America. Canada summoned the Chinese ambassador in response to the incident. The United States called the balloon's presence a violation of its sovereignty, and its Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed a long-awaited diplomatic visit to Beijing.
The incident increased U.S.–China tensions. American officials later disclosed that they had been tracking the balloon since it was launched from Hainan and its original destinations were likely Guam and Hawaii, but prevailing winds blew it off course and across North America. Analysts said that its flight path and structural characteristics were dissimilar from those of a typical weather balloon. Similar balloons from China have flown over more than 40 nations. officials, the balloon carried intelligence gathering equipment inconsistent with that of a weather balloon but did not present a "significant collection hazard". The Chinese government maintained it was a civilian (mainly meteorological) airship that had been blown off course. The American and Canadian militaries announced that the balloon was for surveillance.
president Biden later described the balloon as carrying two railroad cars' equivalent of spy equipment his government said the balloon had a propeller for maneuverability. Debris from the wreckage was recovered and sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis. territorial waters off the coast of South Carolina.
Air Force shot down the balloon over U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor debris recovered įrom January 28 to February 4, 2023, a high-altitude balloon owned by China was spotted in North American airspace, including Alaska, western Canada, and the contiguous United States. Balloon downed by an AIM-9 Sidewinder fired by a U.S.
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