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Chinese Spy Balloon
In February 2023, a massive Chinese surveillance balloon drifted across the continental United States before being shot down by an F-22 over South Carolina. The balloon was 200 feet tall with intelligence-gathering equipment. It triggered shootdowns of three more unidentified objects.
2023
United States Airspace
1000000+ witnesses
The balloon incident led to multiple UAP shootdowns.
The Balloon
First detected:
- January 28, 2023
- Entered Alaska
- Crossed Canada
- Drifted across US
- 200 feet tall
The Equipment
What it carried:
- Surveillance payload
- Size of school buses
- Intelligence gathering
- Solar powered
- High altitude
The Shootdown
February 4, 2023:
- Off South Carolina coast
- F-22 Raptor
- AIM-9X Sidewinder
- First air-to-air kill
- In USAF history
Subsequent Objects
Three more shootdowns:
- February 10 - Alaska
- February 11 - Yukon
- February 12 - Lake Huron
- Smaller objects
- Never recovered
The Mystery Objects
What were they:
- Much smaller than balloon
- Octagonal, cylindrical
- No payload identified
- Debris not recovered
- Origin unknown
Political Fallout
Response:
- US-China tensions
- Congressional hearings
- NORAD procedures changed
- Detection improved
- Ongoing concerns