Chinese 'Spy Balloon' Over US Air Force Base?..."F-22 Shootdown Under Review"

Suspected Chinese Reconnaissance Equipment

A 'surveillance balloon' presumed to be owned by China was detected over northern U.S. airspace, sparking controversy. The U.S. Department of Defense is reportedly tracking the balloon's movement.

On the 2nd (local time), according to the U.S. financial media outlet Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Patrick Ryder, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, stated, "We have detected a high-altitude surveillance balloon over the U.S. mainland," adding, "The U.S. Northern Command Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is closely tracking and monitoring it."

According to the media, the balloon is about the size of three buses and is believed to be equipped with capabilities to conduct reconnaissance from high altitudes. Previously, U.S. defense authorities considered shooting down the balloon over Montana with an F-22 fighter jet but canceled the plan due to concerns about ground damage from debris. Montana has a relatively low population density but is home to a concentration of nuclear missile silos operated by the U.S. Air Force.

A balloon captured over Billings, Montana, USA
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

In this regard, an anonymous senior U.S. Department of Defense official said, "We are confident this surveillance balloon belongs to China," adding, "Its purpose is clearly reconnaissance, and its flight path passed over several sensitive locations."

The matter was immediately reported to U.S. President Joe Biden, and Lloyd Austin, U.S. Secretary of Defense, who is currently visiting the Philippines, convened a meeting on-site to discuss countermeasures. The Canadian Department of National Defence, which shares a border with northern U.S., also issued a statement on the 2nd, saying it is cooperating with the U.S. military to track the surveillance balloon.

WSJ cited an anonymous government official as saying, "The U.S. State Department summoned the Chinese ambassador to the U.S. to deliver a clear and stern message."

Meanwhile, surveillance balloons have been actively used in the past, even during the Cold War. According to the BBC, although surveillance balloons are an older technology compared to modern monitoring tools such as satellites and reconnaissance aircraft, they are much cheaper to operate and can remain airborne for extended periods, making them useful.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.