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Post by Admin on Feb 3, 2023 20:30:07 GMT
At first the Chinese refused to admit the balloon was theirs, then they said it was a meteorological airship that had blown off course.
The Americans say it's for spying.
Whatever it is, it's making its way across North America and leaving diplomatic drama in its wake.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a trip to Beijing whilst Chinese state media has made barbed remarks about the weakness of the US's air defences.
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Post by Admin on Feb 4, 2023 5:02:48 GMT
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Post by Admin on Feb 4, 2023 17:08:48 GMT
Sky's Defence and Security Analyst, Professor Michael Clarke, looks at the track of China's suspected spy balloon.
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Post by Admin on Feb 4, 2023 18:26:20 GMT
WASHINGTON (AP) — What in the world is that thing?
The massive white orb drifting across U.S. airspace has triggered a diplomatic maelstrom and is blowing up on social media.
China insists the balloon is just an errant civilian airship used mainly for meteorological research that went off course due to winds and has only limited “self-steering” capabilities.
The United States says it is a Chinese spy balloon without a doubt. Its presence prompted Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a weekend trip to China that was aimed at dialing down tensions that were already high between the countries.
The Pentagon says the balloon, which is carrying sensors and surveillance equipment, is maneuverable and has shown it can change course. It has loitered over sensitive areas of Montana where nuclear warheads are siloed, leading the military to take actions to prevent it from collecting intelligence.
The Biden administration is considering a plan to shoot it down once it is above the Atlantic Ocean, where the remnants could potentially be recovered, according to four U.S. officials on Saturday who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive operation. It was unclear whether President Joe Biden had made a final decision. In a brief remark Saturday in response to a reporter’s question about the balloon, Biden said: “We’re going to take care of it.”
The balloon was last spotted over the Carolinas as it neared the coast.
A look at what’s known about the balloon crossing the U.S. — and what isn’t.
IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE, IT'S A ... SPY BALLOON
The Pentagon and other U.S. officials say it's a Chinese spy balloon — about the size of three school buses — moving east over America at an altitude of about 60,000 feet (18,600 meters). The U.S. says it is being used for surveillance and intelligence collection, but officials have provided few details.
U.S. officials say the Biden administration was aware of it even before it crossed into American airspace in Alaska early this past week. A number of officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive topic.
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Post by Admin on Feb 4, 2023 20:19:24 GMT
The suspected Chinese spy balloon that’s been spotted over U.S. airspace in recent days has been shot down near the Carolina coastline, officials said. An operation was underway to recover debris from the balloon in the Atlantic Ocean. A livestream of the balloon showed it deflated and falling toward the water below. Earlier on Saturday, when President Biden was asked about the possibility of shooting it down, he told reporters: "We're gonna take care of it." Soon after, the Federal Aviation Administration shut down three airports in both North and South Carolina “to support the Department of Defense in a national security effort.”
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