National News: Chinese Balloon shot down
On Saturday, Feb. 4, a Chinese balloon spotted flying across the United States was shot down by the U.S. Federal Government.
According to an informational article written by Jim Garamone from the U.S. Department of Defense, “U.S. officials first detected the balloon and its payload on January 28 when it entered U.S. airspace near the Aleutian Islands. The balloon traversed Alaska, Canada and re-entered U.S. airspace over Idaho.”
A U.S. fighter pilot shot down the balloon as it was crossing over water, so that it could be taken down safely. Garamone also noted that, though the balloon did not show signs of being a physical threat, there was reasonable cause to shoot it down through its violation of U.S. sovereignty.
Garamone also cited an official from the U.S. Department of Defense, who explained that, “‘The PRC has claimed publicly that the high-altitude balloon operating above the United States is a weather balloon that was blown off course. This is false,’ the official said. ‘This was a PRC surveillance balloon. This surveillance balloon purposely traversed the United States and Canada, and we are confident it was seeking to monitor sensitive military sites.’”
The U.S. Department of Defense addressed the issue in an official statement, released by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III.
“After careful analysis, U.S. military commanders had determined downing the balloon while over land posed an undue risk to people across a wide area due to the size and altitude of the balloon and its surveillance payload,” Austin said.
The United States spends more money on its military than any other country. It is recorded that the total spending on the military is $800.67 as of 2021. China, which has $777 billion, is second to the U.S.
There are approximately 450-500 military bases across the United States, and these bases are not accessible to the public. There are many locations that are not attainable to military personnel without extensive authorization. The balloon canvassing the states gives them access to knowledgeable insight on locations and buildings through its high-altitude viewpoint. This gives them insight into critical information not obtainable to the general public.
An article on the FBI website states, “The evidence recovered so far has been limited to surface findings, including the balloon (or canopy itself), some wiring, a tiny amount of electronics—but only a small portion of the payload.”
The FBI also reported that there is likely a larger amount of evidence that is yet to be recovered.
The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard are still continuing their search for the remains of the balloon in the shallow waters it was shot down in. Recovery was stalled for a short period of time due to rough weather but continued soon after. Though it has not been found, it is reported to be around six miles off the coast. All evidence received will be decontaminated and sent to Quantico, Virginia for further testing.