On video: the interception of the Chinese balloon over the Atlantic Ocean (Reuters)
An unidentified object was intercepted over northern Canada on Saturday - the third time in a week that US fighter jets have dropped objects over North American airspace.
On Friday, an unidentified object was intercepted over Alaskan airspace by US F-22s, and last weekend, a Chinese spy balloon was also shot down by F-22s in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South Carolina.
There is currently no connection between the unidentified objects and the Chinese balloon, but national security officials across the United States are on alert.
The airspace over Montana was briefly closed before reopening Saturday evening after a radar malfunction led to a plane skidding before the area was cleared.
The remains of the hijacked balloon (photo: official website, US FLEET FORCES COMMAND)
The remains of the hijacked balloon (photo: official website, US NAVY)
The unidentified object intercepted over Canada has been monitored since Friday evening, according to a statement from Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder.
The object was detected by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
Two F-22 fighter jets from Almendorf-Richardson Air Force Base in Alaska were launched to track the object with the help of the Alaska Air National Guard as it made its way to the North Pole.
It is a "silvered cylindrical object" smaller than the Chinese balloon intercepted last week, Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand said at a press conference last night.
"Canadian CF-18s and CP-140s were dispatched to assist in its identification," Ryder said in a statement.
US President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the interception on Saturday, according to a statement from the White House.
"President Biden authorized NORAD fighter jets to conduct the operation and a US F-22 intercepted the unidentified object over Canadian territory in close coordination with Canadian authorities," the statement said.
"
All the intercepted objects were shot down using an AIM-9X missile fired from an F-22 fighter jet.
Ryder's statement said the FBI was "working closely with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police."
Interception of a Chinese balloon (Photo: Reuters)
Chinese spy balloon (Photo: Reuters)
Third incident of the week
Saturday's interception of an unidentified object was the third incident of the week.
On Friday, an unidentified object was intercepted over the airspace of Alaska, after being detected on Thursday evening by the United States.
A source close to the matter told CNN that several pilots complained that it was "jamming their sensors".
The object was flying at an altitude of about 12,000 km, which could endanger civilian transportation. Unlike the Chinese balloon that flew "at a high altitude, and did not endanger commercial air transportation," Ryder said at the time.
Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski told NBC News on Friday because she fears the threat these objects pose. "Alaska is the first line of defense," she said. "If it entered Alaska's airspace, or its territorial waters, we need to act," she added. Biden told reporters Friday that an intercept The bone "succeeded", but did not add details.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Photo: Reuters)
Suspected spy balloon in the sky of the United States, February 3, 2023 (Reuters)
The Chinese balloon was intercepted off the coast of South Carolina last Saturday, after crossing the United States in flight.
Biden administration officials said he did not pose a military or intelligence threat.
However, in the event of an interception, the spy balloon could have damaged people and property on the ground.
According to officials, the balloon was 60 meters high and weighed more than a ton.
The US military is still trying to collect remains of the balloon from the ocean.
According to Ryder, "Many remains have been located, which will help us better understand the balloon and its spying capabilities."
In response to the situation, the US Department of Commerce on Friday added six Chinese companies that, according to it, manufacture balloons and airships, to the long list of companies whose access the United States intends to block to advanced American technology.
The discovery of the balloon over the United States last week is now a new source of tension between China and the United States.
The incident highlights the military dimension that has been added to the rivalry between the world's two largest economies.
The incident even caused US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to cancel a planned visit to China.
news
world news
America
Tags
Observation balloon
United States
Canada
Joe Biden
Justin Trudeau