An unidentified object was shot down over Lake Huron by a U.S. fighter jet last Sunday, marking the fourth such incident in eight days and the latest military strike in a series of events over U.S. airspace unlike anything seen in peacetime, according to U.S. officials.
According to General Glen VanHerck, head of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, the repeated shootdowns are due to a “heightened alert” following the detection of a spy balloon from China over U.S. airspace in late January. In addition, fighter jets also shot down objects over Canada and Alaska last week, though Pentagon officials stated they posed no security threat.
As Assistant Defense Secretary for Homeland Defense, Melissa Dalton, explained, “We have been more closely scrutinizing our airspace at these altitudes, including enhancing our radar, which may at least partly explain the increase.”
The use of force has raised questions about whether such action was warranted, particularly since administration officials stated that the objects were not of significant national security concern. The downings were carried out simply as a precaution.
Despite the heightened scrutiny, the exact nature of the objects remains unknown. General VanHerck stated, “I haven’t ruled out anything at this point.” The Pentagon considered using the jets’ guns instead of missiles but found it too difficult. The objects shot down over the weekend were distinct from the balloon from China.
The new object was shot down by airmen of the 148th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard in Duluth, according to a tweet by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. This latest incident follows a string of unusual air defense activity that has captivated the attention of Americans. In late January, a white balloon, which was thought to be from China, appeared over the U.S. and was eventually shot down by fighter jets off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
The latest object was detected on Saturday evening over Montana but was initially considered an anomaly. According to Pentagon officials, Radar picked it up again on Sunday when it flew over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and went over Lake Huron. U.S. and Canadian authorities restricted airspace over the lake earlier on Sunday as fighter jets scrambled to intercept and identify the object. Senior administration officials reported that the object was octagonal with strings hanging off, but with no discernible payload. It was flying low at around 20,000 feet.
U.S. officials are still trying to identify two other objects that were shot down by F-22 fighter jets and are investigating if China was responsible. The concerns have escalated due to what Washington describes as Beijing’s large-scale aerial surveillance program. Another object was shot down over Canada’s Yukon on Saturday and described as a balloon significantly smaller than the one shot down on February 4th. On Friday, another cylindrical object was brought down over Alaska’s remote northern coast.
Despite the fact that U.S. officials were unable to determine the origin of these objects, they said they were significantly smaller, looked different, and flew at lower altitudes than the presumed spy balloon that was shot down by a U.S. missile. They also noted that these objects were inconsistent with the network of Chinese aerial surveillance balloons targeting over 40 countries.
U.S. officials are working rapidly to recover debris from these objects, Senator Chuck Schumer told ABC’s “This Week.” He said that U.S. military and intelligence officials were focused on gathering information and compiling a comprehensive analysis. He said that it was bizarre that they were unaware of these balloons and the spy program tied to the Chinese military by the administration.
The first object, a large white balloon that floated over the U.S. for days at an altitude of around 60,000 feet, was shot down by F-22 jets eight days ago. The United States immediately blamed China, claiming that the balloon could detect and collect intelligence signals. The White House stated that improved surveillance capabilities helped detect it. China’s Foreign Ministry, however, noted that the balloon was an unmanned meteorological airship that had blown off course, which the U.S. shot down as an overreaction.
As a result of the cases, diplomatic tensions have increased between the United States and China, questions have been raised about Chinese surveillance, and Republican lawmakers have criticized the administration’s response.
