Emilie Grenaud
And four! Within days, the US military shot down a fourth flying object over North American airspace on Sunday. The object in question was at only 20,000 feet, that is to say around 6,000 meters, in the airspace used by civil aviation. The US military flew F-16 fighter jets, one of which destroyed the aircraft with a missilemissile Sidewinder AIM-9X with a range limited to twenty kilometers. I’aircraftaircraft was shot down over Lake Huron in Michigan.
Apart from the Chinese balloon shot down off South Carolina on February 4, the other three downed aircraft have not been characterized as such objects, or even as being linked to China.
In the last case, the intriguing object was described as an octagonal structure with flexible elements, like ropes hanging around it. For the moment, the officials questioned on the subject have not ruled anything out.
Objects whose name we do not say
This UAP, that is to say, this unidentified aerospace phenomenon amuses, worries and, in any case, makes a lot of talk about it. As Futura has already mentioned, the United States has been observing this kind of phenomenon for years. Similar cases number in the dozens. But today, because of the tensions with China, the decision, which has become systematic to shoot them down, is part of an assumed political posture on the part of the United States.
What causes the trouble in this specific case is that General Glen VanHerck, who is responsible for protecting American airspace, said that the army had not been able to identify the nature of these last three objects or where they came from. Also, unlike the first downed Chinese aircraft, he did not call them “balloons”, but “objects”. But, in the end, even if the American military cultivates vagueness by remaining waveswaves about the provenance and capabilities of this device, chances are they know a lot more than they’re letting on. Taking the time to observe it would provide more information if not. It is probably for diplomatic reasons that they do not attribute the origin or capabilities of these devices. In the meantime, the debris of the downed aircraft will soon be recovered from the bottom of Lake Huron by divers specializing in cold water evolutions.
The neutralization of this new object comes after the destruction of another the size of a small carcar last Friday. It did not appear to have a propulsion system or controls to steer it according to US authorities. He had been shot down off the coast of Alaska. The same was true for a cylindrical-looking object over the Yukon, Canada on Saturday. An F-22 assigned by Norad intervened to destroy it in collaboration with the Canadian armed forces.
For its part, this Monday, China pointed out that American balloons had regularly violated its airspace since the beginning of 2022. In any case, if these aircraft are now detected and destroyed, it is also certainly because the control systems of airspace have increased the intensity of their surveillance over the past few months.
A multitude of spy balloons in the world for decades
The United States shot down the Chinese spy balloon that had been flying over the country for a few days, while another appeared over Costa Rica. Identical balloons have been seen in different countries in recent years…
Article ofEdward BackEdward Back published on February 6, 2023
A Chinese spy balloon caused a stir at the end of last week when it was seen passing over Alaska and Canada, before flying over a nuclear site in the state of Montana. The balloon was called a spy by the Americans, while China replied that it was a meteorological research device that had deviated from its route due to force majeure.
If the United States hesitated to neutralize the device when it flew over American soil, it was shot down Saturday afternoon once over the Atlantic Ocean, off South Carolina. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately reacted by declaring that “ in such circumstances, the use of force by the United States is a gross overreaction and a serious violation of international practice “. Navy divers are currently searching for the debris, spread over an area 11 kilometers wide, and at a depth of about 14 meters.
The United States has already spied on China with balloons
Spy balloons are nothing new, and are not unique to China. The first observation balloon was invented in France in 1794, only eleven years after the very first flight of a hot air balloon. The balloon was used during the Battle of Fleurus, allowing Jean-Marie-Joseph Coutelle and an officer to observe the enemy, and thus help the French forces achieve victory.
The United States notably used spy balloons to monitor the USSR and China from the 1950s. The balloons were part of the Genetrix project, and measured more than 30 meters in diameter. Each carried a DMQ-1 camera capable of taking pictures for 80 kilometers on each side. The balloons flew at a height between 15 and 22 kilometers for 5 to 7 days, launched from Turkey and West Germany. After crossing the target area, either China or Russia, the device activated an HF beacon to allow it to be found and to recover the pictures.
Many Chinese balloons seen in recent years
This latest Chinese spy balloon is not unique. A second balloon was seen a few days ago over Costa Rica. According to CNN, other balloons flew over the United States while Donald Trump was president, but the incidents were not discovered until after the change of administration. Another briefly flew over the United States at the start of Joe Biden’s presidency.
Several governments are investigating similar incidents that have occurred in recent years. A very similar-looking balloon was also seen in the skies of Japan, first in June 2020 above the city of Sendai, then in 2021 in Aomori prefecture. Authorities were unable to identify him at the time or determine his origin. Another balloon was seen in September 2021 flying over Taipei City in Taiwan, then in March 2022 at Taipei-Songshan Airport.
Following this case, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled his planned visit to China. US President Joe Biden will deliver his State of the Union address to Congress this Tuesday, February 7, and will face criticism from Republicans for not shooting down the device sooner.
A Chinese spy balloon flies over US military sites!
US and Canadian authorities observe a Chinese surveillance balloon that is currently over Montana. The army does not intend to shoot it down for the moment because of the danger posed by the falling debris.
Article by Edward Back, published on 03/02/2023
UPDATE February 3 at 3:30 p.m. : According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it would be an aircraft used for meteorological research. China regrets that he has ” deviated from its intended route “.
A Chinese spy balloon is currently flying over the United States. The object was first detected over the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, before crossing Canada and arriving in Montana.
This northern state of the United States is home to nuclear missile silos. Authorities suspended flights from Billings Airport on Wednesday after the balloon was detected over the city. The case comes just days before a meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The US military does not intend to shoot down the balloon because of the risk that the falling debris would pose to the population. Moreover, the Pentagon does not seem to be worried about seeing the device fly over sensitive sites because it would only be able to collect information already accessible with a satellite. Authorities have not specified the size of the balloon, but US media say it is three times the size of a bus.
China tries to verify the origin of the balloon
The Chinese Daily in English China Daily immediately mocked the information. ” Spying on the United States with a balloon requires both being far behind to use 1940s technology and being advanced enough to control its flight across the ocean. Those who fabricate this lie are only exposing their ignorance “.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning had a more nuanced response. She indicated that ” verification of reports is in progress ” and ” until the facts are clear, guessesguesses and hype won’t help to properly resolve the issue “.
Spy balloons offer some advantages, as they can be difficult to detect, their cost is very low, and they can operate for long periods of time. According to CNN, this balloon could be used to collect radio signals and telephones mobilesmobiles. Or it could be a mistake…
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