‘High-altitude object’ downed by the US over Alaskan airspace
On instructions from President Joe Biden, the Pentagon shot down an unidentified object Friday off the coast of Alaska, according to White House sources.
According to John Kirby, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, the item was traveling at a height of around 13,000 meters and presented a “reasonable threat” to the security of commercial flights. The item, according to him, was about the size of a compact vehicle. Private and business aircraft can soar as high as 13,700 meters.
When questioned about the downing of the object, Biden just responded, “It was a success.”
Chinese officials claim that a spy balloon soared above highly classified nuclear locations.
It was the second time in a week that US authorities had shot down a flying object over the country. Off the coast of South Carolina, fighter aircraft shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon on Saturday.
Significant distinctions between the two episodes were noted by White House officials. Kirby added that the owner of the object was still unknown, although he did not specify that it was a balloon. Additionally, officials were unable to confirm whether or not it had surveillance technology. Additionally, he had no idea what it was for or how it got there.
The protection of our interests in national security is the president’s top priority.
Mr. Kirby According to White House National Security Council spokesman Kirby, Biden decided to shoot it out of the sky based on the Pentagon’s recommendation because he thought it posed a threat to civilian aircraft in particular.
“We’re going to monitor our airspace carefully, “added Kirby. The protection of our interests in national security is the president’s top priority.
After two fighter jets surveilled the item Thursday evening, the president was informed of its presence.
According to Kirby, fighter pilots who visually inspected the object determined that it was unmanned.
Officials anticipated that they would be able to gather the debris from the item more quickly than from the huge balloon from last week.
They just shot down an object over Alaskan frozen waters.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) February 10, 2023
Thank you for defending our country, but this proves all of their excuses about last week’s Chinese Spy Balloon was BS.
Just like I told them in the briefing.
Defend our Homeland at all cost.https://t.co/MVX4fO2pGB
cooperation with Canada
Before the shoot-down, the Federal Aviation Administration prohibited aircraft over a 26 square kilometer region of US airspace off the coast of Alaska at Bullen Point, the location of a decommissioned US Air Force radar post in the Beaufort Sea about 210 kilometers inside the Arctic Circle.
After receiving a briefing, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted on Friday that he agreed with the choice. “Our armed forces and intelligence agencies will always cooperate, “added said.
According to a US official, NORAD—North American Aerospace Defense Command—sent F-35s to observe the item after it was discovered on Thursday. The military also checked with US government agencies to make sure it wasn’t one of theirs and was confident it wasn’t a US government or military asset. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss critical national security issues in public.
It was decided to shoot it down whenever it was feasible because it was far smaller than the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon, which raised fewer safety concerns. That took place on water.
It was unclear exactly what the flying item was until late Friday night. It was “not a National Weather Service balloon,” according to a statement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
They don’t hover, according to Scott Smullen, a spokesman for NOAA.
China refers to US assertions regarding “spy” balloons as “information warfare.”
Tensions in China
The news broke roughly a week after the US shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of North Carolina after it had flown over important military installations. China said there had been an accident involving a civilian aircraft during the flyby and threatened consequences.
Although he wanted the balloon to be brought down even earlier, Biden gave the order. He was told that performing the procedure over water would be ideal. Military experts concluded that dropping it down over land from a height of 60,000 feet would put people on the ground in unnecessary danger.
China retaliated by stating that it reserved the right to “take additional actions” and chastised the US for its “obvious overreaction and serious violation of international practice.”
