Suspected Chinese ‘spy balloon’ shot down by US fighter jet over sea

On February 4th, a fighter plane shot down a Chinese balloon that was flying over the United States, including military installations.

To Matthew Sparks

On February 4, a US fighter jet shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon. It flew over the United States, including over classified military bases.

The incident heightened international tensions, and Secretary of State Anthony Brinken postponed a planned visit to China.

The balloon entered Alaskan airspace on January 28, sailed south over Canada, and returned to U.S. airspace over Idaho on January 31.

The US claims the balloon was on an intelligence-gathering mission, traveling over a number of key military sites, including missile silos. China claims the balloon was used for weather observation and was just off course.

U.S. officials say similar balloons have flown over the United States at least three times during the presidency of Donald Trump and once during the presidency of Joe Biden. This is the first time it has been done.

They also say similar balloons have been spotted over countries in Asia and Europe, while another is passing over Central and South America. It has recently been sighted in Costa Rica and Venezuela.

Biden ordered the military to shoot down the balloon on Wednesday, February 1, but it took several days before he could do so without endangering civilians.

The balloon was eventually destroyed by a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor jet from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, off the coast of South Carolina. The aircraft fired one AIM-9X missile from nearly 18,000 meters (58,000 feet) into the balloon, which was flying at an altitude of 18,000 to 19,800 meters.

“Shooting down the balloon addressed the surveillance threat posed to military installations, further neutralized any intelligence value the balloon could create, and prevented it from returning to China. [People’s Republic of China]’ said an unnamed official on February 4. “Furthermore, shooting down the balloon could allow the United States to recover sensitive Chinese equipment.”

US Navy and FBI teams are currently working to recover the wreckage, which was submerged in 15 meters of water, spread over an area of ​​11 kilometers.