Another Spy Balloon? US Military Monitors High-Altitude Moving Object After Fighter Aircraft Dispatch

The U.S. military is currently monitoring a small, high-altitude balloon as it travels across the nation. The balloon initially spotted over the Western U.S., has been declared non-threatening to national security.

What Happened: The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed the detection of the balloon, which is floating at an altitude between 43,000 and 45,000 feet. Aircraft were dispatched to investigate the object due to initial concerns, reported CBS News.

“NORAD fighters intercepted the balloon over Utah, determining it was non-maneuverable and did not pose a threat to national security. NORAD will continue to track and monitor the balloon,” stated NORAD. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also confirmed that the balloon does not pose a flight safety risk.

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The balloon, constructed from Mylar with a small cube-shaped box attached underneath, is predicted to reach Georgia by Friday night. Its origins and purpose are still unclear. This event follows a similar incident almost exactly a year ago, involving a Chinese balloon carrying surveillance equipment, which escalated tensions between the U.S. and China.

Why It Matters: This incident comes in the wake of heightened tensions between the U.S. and China over similar occurrences. In February last year, a suspected surveillance balloon from China was spotted over Montana, leading to the postponement of a key visit to China by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Later that month, Blinken met with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, expressing his concerns over the balloon incursion into U.S. airspace.

In May, another unidentified balloon was spotted off the coast of Hawaii, but U.S. officials decided against shooting it down. The current balloon incident underscores the ongoing concerns over airspace security and the potential for surveillance activities.

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Photo by Ostranitsa Stanislav on Shutterstock