The United States Department of Air Defense released a new picture of a Chinese balloon, traveling across North America earlier this month. The photo was clicked from the cockpit of a U-2 single-engine spy plane that was deployed by the US Air Force. An image shows a close-up of the balloon, which seems to be carrying large panels under its white, inflatable bulb.
the image was taken as the balloon “hovered over the Central Continental United States” a day before it was shot down off the South Carolina coast”.
US Department of Defense
Earlier this month, a Chinese balloon and its blow destruction raised lasting tensions between China and the US. China urged the balloon was nothing more than a civilian weather balloon blown off course. While Republicans also criticized the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden for its slow response in shooting down the balloon.
The balloon could not be shot down over US soil without risk to civilians on the ground. The giant white aircraft had been flying 18,300 meters (60,000 ft.) above the ground and was estimated to be 60 meters (200 ft.) tall”.
US Department of Defense
On Wednesday, a deputy spokesperson of Defense Department, Sabrina Singh confirmed that the agency had completed its search operation for the remains of the balloon last week.
The majority of the balloon, including the payload, was recovered.”
Sabrina Singh-in a press conference.
Navy ships and submarines had turned to the Atlantic Ocean to recover the remains of the Chinese balloon, which were then handed over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for analysis. Antony Blinken, Secretary of State has pledged to share information collected from the balloon with the US Congress and international allies.
US officials had said that the Chinese balloon was “clearly for surveillance and inconsistent with the equipment onboard weather balloons”. They explained that Cold War-era U-2 planes that was sent to monitor the balloon had seen “Large solar panels that was enough to produce the requisite power to operate multiple active intelligence collection sensors”.
US authorities deployed an F-22 fighter jet to get down the balloon, using an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile. The US also destroyed three other unidentified aircraft. One was downed over Alaska, a second over Canada, and a third over Lake Huron. They were all reported to be smaller than the initial balloon.
“Nothing right now suggests they were related to China’s spy balloon program or that they were surveillance vehicles from any other country.”
Biden said on February 16
