Key takeaways:
- The suspected Chinese spy balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina.
- The surveillance equipment attached to the balloon was the size of two to three school buses.
- The incident has raised questions about the U.S. government’s response to foreign surveillance activities.
A suspected Chinese spy balloon that had been floating over the United States for several days has been shot down off the coast of South Carolina. Senior Biden administration officials told CBS News that the U.S. government spoke directly with the Chinese government about the action.
Defense officials previously told CBS News that the surveillance equipment attached to the balloon was the size of two to three school buses. The massive white orb had already been floating in and out of American airspace for three days before it created enough concern for President Joe Biden’s top general to brief him.
In response, an F-22 fighter jet dispatched out of Langley Air Force Base took down the balloon with one AIM-9X air-to-air missile. The balloon was shot down by U.S. fighter jets in U.S. airspace at 2:39 p.m. ET on Saturday, U.S. officials confirmed to CBS News.
The incident has raised questions about the U.S. government’s response to foreign surveillance activities. It is unclear what the Chinese government’s response to the incident will be. The Biden administration has yet to comment on the matter.
Be First to Comment