Little more than one year after a Chinese spy balloon (pictured above) drifted across the pacific and spent days floating across the continental United States until Biden finally approved a shoot-down order off the coast of South Carolina, it was reported on Friday that a "high-altitude balloon" had been detected over the western half of the U.S.
"Military aircraft have spotted the balloon and determined it is not a threat," according to a CBS News report based on information from anonymous "sources familiar with the matter." Still, this balloon's "origin and purpose are still unknown," according to CBS News.
U.S. is tracking a high-altitude balloon flying over the Western part of the country, U.S. officials told @CBSNews. Military aircraft spotted the balloon and determined it is not a threat, but its origin and purpose is still unknown. The balloon is drifting east in the jet stream
— Kris Van Cleave (@krisvancleave) February 23, 2024
Following the initial CBS News report, NORAD confirmed that it had, "in close coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)," detected a "small balloon at an altitude varying between 43,000-45,000 ft." According to sources cited by CBS News, the balloon had a roughly two-foot "cube" payload.
Subsequently, the balloon was "intercepted by NORAD fighters over Utah, who determined it was not maneuverable and did not present a threat to national security" and the "FAA also determined the balloon posed no hazard to flight safety," according to the statement. "NORAD will continue to track and monitor the balloon," it added.
Those who followed last year's CCP spy balloon saga will remember that in that case, Americans were also reassured that the intelligence gathering craft which used U.S. internet connections to communicate wasn't a threat — even as the capabilities of the balloon were kept under wraps for months.
The sources who spoke with CBS News said this new balloon was "drifting east in the jetstream on Friday" and "was over Colorado" earlier that day. Apparently, the balloon's "presence prompted enough concern that the military sent aircraft to investigate," said CBS News.
Investigate is likely to be the only action taken by the U.S. military in response to this balloon about which little is known, based on previous responses.
Following the CCP balloon saga last year, then-NORAD Commander General Glen D. VanHerck reasoned that the Chinese craft was not shot down before or during its trip across the United States because in his "assessment" the "balloon did not present a physical military threat to North America" and therefore he "could not take immediate action because it was not demonstrating" what he called "hostile intent."
With far more questions than answers about this new balloon adrift over the United States, the American Foreign Policy Council's Michael Sobolik raises a few good ones as a starting point:
What reporters should be asking the Biden admin…
— Michael Sobolik (@michaelsobolik) February 23, 2024
1) is this another balloon from China?
2) how long has the admin known of its presence in U.S. airspace?
3) what are its surveillance/collections capabilities?
4) has it traveled over sensitive locations (like NORAD)? https://t.co/XChWrz8oUW
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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