More Signal. Less Noise.

V7 | Issue 4 | 2.15.23

Signals and Space: Space adjacent overhead collection.

Summary

By the CyberWire staff

At a glance.

Not space, exactly, but space adjacent.
"Goodnight, table. Goodnight, moon. Goodnight, Chinese spy balloon."
Why use balloons?
Balloons and diplomacy.
Air defense and public policy: balloons, drones, aerial trash, and other UFOs.

Not space, exactly, but space adjacent.

The major news over the past two weeks has involved the passage and destruction of four objects, at least one of them a Chinese balloon, over US and Canadian airspace. Thus this issue of Signals & Space represents a bit of a departure for us.

The Kármán line, 100 kilometers above the surface of the earth, is the generally accepted boundary of space, the line that divides outer space from the earth's atmosphere. The balloons and other objects that have been reported (and in some cases shot down) over the past two weeks have generally been reported at altitudes of 60,000 feet and change, or at least eighty kilometers shy of space. So call the objects space-adjacent, because they may fill certain operational niches often filled by satellites.

On February 2nd, the US Department of Defense said, "The United States Government has detected and is tracking a high altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now. The U.S. government, to include NORAD, continues to track and monitor it closely. The balloon is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground. Instances of this kind of balloon activity have been observed previously over the past several years. Once the balloon was detected, the U.S. government acted immediately to protect against the collection of sensitive information."

The New York Times had an account of the balloon's detection and tracking.

"Goodnight, table. Goodnight, moon. Goodnight, Chinese spy balloon."

Or so we read this past February 4th on social media (author unknown, sorry, but thanks for the meme, whoever you are) after a US F-22 shot down a Chinese balloon with a Sidewinder off the South Carolina coast. The US calls it a surveillance balloon that violated US airspace, crossing the continent. China says it was a civilian research balloon that went off course, most regrettable, but not nefarious, indeed, not even intentional, and shame on the Americans for shooting it down.

In total, the US shot down four objects in eight days, dispatching them with Sidewinder air-to-air missiles fired by fighter aircraft. The first one, the balloon that brought the issue to prominence as it crossed the US, was downed by a pair of US Air Force F-22s off Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. (The fighters' callsigns were "Frank01" and "Luke01," in a nice homage to Lieutenant Frank Luke, the First World War's Arizona Balloon Buster, credited with fourteen kills of tethered German observation balloons). Subsequent shootdowns occurred off the Alaskan coast, over northern Canada (Canada, as a full NORAD partner, was fully consulted and fully cooperated), and over Lake Huron. Debris is being recovered in all four cases, with the remains of the balloon off South Carolina being the first to be pulled up. Early this week the New York Times published a timeline of the four objects (one balloon, and three other objects that may or may not have been balloons).

The Department of Defense announced the Myrtle Beach interception with an explanation of when the balloon was detected, how it was tracked, and why it was finally destroyed:

"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. 'President Biden asked the military to present options and on Wednesday President Biden gave his authorization to take down the Chinese surveillance balloon as soon as the mission could be accomplished without undue risk to us civilians under the balloon's path,' said a senior defense official speaking on background. 'Military commanders determined that there was undue risk of debris causing harm to civilians while the balloon was overland.'

"An F-22 Raptor fighter from the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, fired one AIM-9X Sidewinder missile at the balloon.

"The balloon fell approximately six miles off the coast in about 47 feet of water. No one was hurt.

"Long before the shoot down, U.S. officials took steps to protect against the balloon's collection of sensitive information, mitigating its intelligence value to the Chinese. The senior defense official said the recovery of the balloon will enable U.S. analysts to examine sensitive Chinese equipment. 'I would also note that while we took all necessary steps to protect against the PRC surveillance balloon's collection of sensitive information, the surveillance balloon's overflight of U.S. territory was of intelligence value to us,' the official said. 'I can't go into more detail, but we were able to study and scrutinize the balloon and its equipment, which has been valuable.'"

There are several things to note about this statement. First, attribution of the balloon to China was clearly stated, public, and unambiguous. Second, the balloon was permitted to cross the US, and precautions were taken to prevent compromise of sensitive activities or sites on the ground. Third, the balloon wasn't immediately shot down to avoid the risk of debris falling on populated areas. And, finally, the US was able to collect valuable information from the balloon as it crossed North America.

For its part, Beijing maintained that the balloon was merely a civilian meteorological research device, entirely benign and unfortunately blown off course. According to Bloomberg, another balloon seen over South America was also from China, and Chinese authorities said that this one too was nothing more than a weather research airship, also blown off course. “It has made an unintended entry into the airspace of Latin American countries,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular news briefing Monday in Beijing. “It’s for civilian purposes, and it is affected by the weather and with limited self-steering capability.”

Japanese authorities say that they too have observed balloons like this one operating near Japan.

Why use balloons?

The US says it has recovered sensors from debris recovered after the Myrtle Beach shootdown, and maintains that the payload was designed to collect intelligence. But specifically what intelligence the balloon was equipped to collect is unclear, although the US State Department did say, according to the AP, that US U-2 aircraft shadowing the balloon determined that it was capable of collecting signals intelligence. It represents part of a long-standing collection program, the Washington Post reports, operated largely from the Chinese island of Hainan.

Given the pervasiveness of satellites in overhead collection, why bother with balloons at all? The Washington Post outlined some advantages the lower-tech systems bring with them. They're relatively cheap, for one thing, and relatively unobtrusive. They can float by unnoticed, unless you're on alert for them. And the lower altitudes at which they operate are high enough to make their interception non-trivial, and yet low enough to offer the possibility of achieving higher resolution images than many satellites are believed able to achieve.

So, cheap, expendable, and unobtrusive, balloons are also often perceived as benign, not worthy of much notice. And, as Breaking Defense reports, they're nowadays more maneuverable than many believe. Google's Project Loon, now canceled, demonstrated the ability to position balloons accurately over places on the earth's surface where they could serve as satellite surrogates, delivering affordable and flexible connectivity. In some statements the Chinese have referred to their balloons as dirigibles. If you've wondered how a balloon, which presumably would simply float passively wherever the wind might carry it, could "go off course," the answer lies there: they move under a certain degree of control.

Balloons do have one legal disadvantage that satellites don't. They operate in the atmosphere, and the atmosphere over a nation is part of that nation's sovereign territory, and balloons are subject to the same laws of aviation that govern aircraft. There's no such question of sovereignty in space.

And there's also the question of deniability. Once you're looking for them, plenty of people can see them, and it's difficult to deny what's going on. As Wired put it, quoting a RAND expert, “It’s tough to pretend the spying isn’t happening when it’s floating over Kansas City and regular people are like, ‘Oh look, it’s the Chinese spy balloon.’”

Balloons and diplomacy.

US Secretary of State Blinken postponed a planned diplomatic trip to China, telling his Chinese counterparts that the balloon overflight was “an irresponsible act and that (China’s) decision to take this action on the eve of my visit is detrimental to the substantive discussions that we were prepared to have.”

Beijing said that the US "overreacted," used "indiscriminate force" in shooting it down, and that China would resolutely protect its own interests. Besides, tu quoque, the US has sent balloons over China and so is really in no position to complain.

The Hill reports that US Secretary of Defense Austin tried to use the hotline between Washington and Beijing to defuse the controversy, but that no one on the Chinese side picked up the phone.

The Atlantic Council has a brief, useful rundown of the range of possible US responses. In addition to interception, public denunciation, and diplomacy, the US has already taken one step: it's sanctioned six Chinese entities for their work on the balloon program. Security Week lists the six blacklisted entities as the "Beijing Nanjiang Aerospace Technology Co., China Electronics Technology Group Corporation 48th Research Institute, Dongguan Lingkong Remote Sensing Technology Co., Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co., Guangzhou Tian-Hai-Xiang Aviation Technology Co., and Shanxi Eagles Men Aviation Science and Technology Group Co."

Air defense and public policy: balloons, drones, aerial trash, and other UFOs.

The White House has publicly explained and defended the decision to shoot the objects down when and where US forces did. Members of Congress have nonetheless asked for a more extensive explanation. Some of their questions involve requests for more information about the Chinese balloons and the steps the US can take against this activity. Other members of Congress want to know why the balloon wasn't shot down sooner.

A former member of the US House of Representatives, Mike Rogers, who while in office served as Chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, argues that allowing China’s balloons to transit our country’s territory is a sign of weakness, and one that allows Beijing incredible opportunities to gather intelligence and map our capabilities. He provided the following comments in an email:

“Who knows how much sensitive information was transmitted to Beijing and is now being meticulously sifted through by the Chinese Communist Party. The boldness of China’s flying of a spy balloon through America’s airspace demanded clarity and swift action, and what it received from the Biden Administration was confusion and delayed action. This sends exactly the wrong message to the American people and the world. That China thought it could fly a surveillance balloon into American airspace tells you all you need to know about what Beijing thinks of America's resolve, and where it sees itself on the international stage. None of this is good for America now, or in the future.”

The point is worth considering, but do note the reason why the US delayed shooting the balloon down: public safety, the intelligence value of collecting information on the balloon while it operated, and, finally, the ability to protect sensitive assets from surveillance. The US did appear to track the balloon from across the Pacific; it doesn't seem to have gone unnoticed by NORAD until it suddenly appeared over Montana.

Notes.

Today's issue includes events affecting Brazil, China, Japan, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Venezuela.

Selected Reading

Appropriations, Procurement, and Acquisitions

Back From the Future: Stop Saying the Military Has an Innovation Problem (War on the Rocks) Senior leaders at the Pentagon love their acronyms and buzzwords. The soup du jour is “innovation,” embodied in various entities such as the Defense

Maxar Logs 5-Year NGA Contract for Foreign Commercial Imagery Worth $192M (Via Satellite) The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) awarded Maxar Technologies a five-year Foreign Commercial Imagery Program contract worth up to $192

CACI Enters R&D Agreement With US Army (Via Satellite) CACI has signed an R&D agreement with the U.S. Army to develop advanced payload technologies, space sensor applications, and resilient Positioning,

Space Business and Market Trends

European Commission Opens In-Depth Investigation Into Viasat, Inmarsat Merger (Via Satellite) The European Commission (EC) is opening an in-depth investigation into Viasat and Inmarsat’s proposed merger, citing concern the merger would hurt

Avealto Launches Trademark Dispute Against Airbus HAPS Venture (Via Satellite) HAPS company Avealto recently launched a trademark dispute against Airbus for renaming its HAPS venture Aalto HAPS Ltd, which it argues is too similar to

Boecore Acquires Space Software Firm Orbit Logic (Via Satellite) Aerospace and defense engineering firm Boecore has acquired space software company Orbit Logic. Boecore said this acquisition will strengthen its software

Orbital Sidekick Raises $10M Investment to Monitor Oil and Gas Industry from Space (Via Satellite) Orbital Sidekick announced a $10 million investment on Tuesday to support growing its hyperspectral satellite constellation and commercializing its asset

Capella Space Strengthens Government and Classified Focus With a New Subsidiary (Via Satellite) Satellite imagery provider and technology company Capella Space on Tuesday said it has stood up a new subsidiary, Capella Federal, to better serve the

SAR-satellite startup Capella Space creates 'federal' unit for US government sales (Breaking Defense) "There is significant value in unclassified, shareable SAR imagery. And we've seen that in Ukraine. And so I think that has changed people's minds quite a bit which has given a lot of momentum to ... how government thinks about future procurements," Capella CEO Payam Banazadeh told Breaking Defense.

Northrop Grumman Announces New $500 Million Accelerated Share Repurchase Agreement (Northrop Grumman Newsroom) Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) today announced that it has entered into an accelerated share repurchase (ASR) agreement with Bank of America, N.A. to repurchase $500 million of Northrop Grumman’s common stock....

Andy Jassy Talks Kuiper Investment in First Call as Amazon’s CEO (Via Satellite) Amazon’s Kuiper satellite constellation is part of a company strategy to invest in the long-term future of Amazon, CEO Andy Jassy outlined on Thursday in

MDA Makes Satellite Contract Breakthrough in Argentina (Via Satellite) MDA has won a new contract with one of Latin America’s biggest satellite operators. It will design, build and supply all of the Ka-band multibeam antennas

SpaceX President Says Satellite-Internet Business Expected to Make Money This Year (Wall Street Journal) President Gwynne Shotwell also said one of the company’s main rocket-launch offerings that NASA relies on had become a moneymaker.

Hensoldt And Fraunhofer Team Up to Develop Space Radar Capabilities (Via Satellite) Hensoldt is going to partner with Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Technology (FHR) in the area of space surveillance radars. It

Kongsberg NanoAvionics Doubles Satellite Production Capability with New Facility in Lithuania (Via Satellite) Kongsberg NanoAvionics recently opened a new manufacturing facility in Vilnius, Lithuania, that the company said will double its satellite production

Aerojet Rocketdyne agrees to pay $9M to resolve cybersecurity allegations in second civil-cyber fraud case (FedScoop) The federal contractor is the second company to be prosecuted as part of the DOJ’s civil-cyber fraud initative.

Intelsat Appoints Gaurav Kharod as the Regional Vice President of Asia Pacific (Via Satellite) Intelsat has appointed Gaurav Kharod as the new regional vice president for its Asia Pacific (APAC) region. He will take over from Terry Bleakley, who

Tiphaine Louradour Talks Leaving ILS for Spaceflight CEO Role (Via Satellite) Tiphaine Louradour is taking the helm at rideshare provider Spaceflight as the company's new CEO. Spaceflight announced the news on Thursday, after

Airbus may appoint interim CFO after succession delay, sources say (Reuters) Airbus is drawing up a stop-gap succession for the role of chief financial officer after struggling to appoint a permanent successor to Dominik Asam, who joins German software group SAP in under three weeks, industry sources said.

Launch Services

SatRev Signs Deal for More Virgin Orbit Launches (Via Satellite) Poland-based satellite manufacturer SatRev signed a follow-on launch services agreement with Virgin Orbit for additional launches in 2023 and beyond.

Firefly’s first U.S. Space Force launch targeted for May (SpaceNews) The chief executive of Firefly Aerospace Bill Weber said Feb. 7 the company is preparing to launch its first mission for the U.S. Space Force in May.

Weather forces SpaceX to delay weekend launch from Cape Canaveral (Florida Today) Citing poor weather at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, SpaceX has decided to delay this launch to no earlier than the evening of Monday, Feb. 6.

Ovzon Delays Ovzon 3 Launch, Switches from Arianespace to SpaceX (Via Satellite) SpaceX will now launch Ovzon’s highly anticipated Ovzon 3 satellite in a launch provider switch. Arianespace had been slated to launch the satellite.

Viasat-3 Satellite Gets Early April Launch Window (Via Satellite) Viasat’s long-awaited Viasat-3 satellite is set to launch the week of April 8, the operator announced Tuesday. The satellite has completed construction

US Space Force

Space Force seeks ideas for potential 'commercial space reserve' fleet (Breaking Defense) "Just as we saw the value of commercial space systems in the Ukraine crisis, we've also seen the potential vulnerability and [the possibility] of commercial capabilities to be attacked as well. And so we've got to consider commercial capabilities and how they operate not just now, but also in the time of crisis," Chirag Parikh, executive secretary of the National Space Council, said today.

Military Space Operations

Elon Musk says SpaceX restricted internet in Ukraine to prevent escalation ‘that may lead to WW3’ (POLITICO) ‘We’re trying hard to do the right thing,’ says billionaire.

U.S. Space Force’s Unmanned Vehicle Creates Sonic Boom Over Florida Upon Re-Entry - Videos from The Weather Channel (The Weather Channel) A U.S. Space Force research spaceplane returned to Earth after 908 days in orbit. The re-entry caused a boom heard over several parts of Florida. - Videos from The Weather Channel | weather.com

‘Higher airspace’: How France’s space military policy is emerging (Interesting Engineeering) France pledges not to conduct anti-satellite missile tests but leaves other options open.

Products, Services, and Solutions

Cobham to supply satellite terminals to Inmarsat for U.S. Navy network (SpaceNews) Cobham to supply satellite terminals to Inmarsat for U.S. Navy network Cobham satcom Inmarsat Navy contract

Maxar Signs Deal for Dedicated Access to Umbra’s SAR Constellation (Via Satellite) Maxar Technologies and Umbra announced a deal Tuesday that will give Maxar dedicated capacity from Umbra’s synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation.

AccelerComm and TTP Unveil LEO 5G Solution (Via Satellite) AccelerComm and TTP are launching a high-performance 5G Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) regenerative base station solution for deployment on LEO satellites, the two

Telespazio Brasil Signs ABS Capacity Deal to Enable Offshore Services in Latin America (Via Satellite) Telespazio Brasil, a subsidiary of Telespazio, signed a five-year capacity contract for capacity on the ABS satellite ABS-3A, for West Hemi C-band beam.

SES, ThinKom and Hughes Report Multi-Orbit Airborne Terminal Demonstration (Via Satellite) SES, ThinKom and Hughes Network Systems reported a multi-orbit satellite service demonstration for government airborne missions which the company’s said

Satellite Vu Sees Strong Take Up for its EAP Program (Via Satellite) Satellite Vu, one of the up and coming U.K. space tech companies, has secured 81 million pounds ($97.78 million) worth of purchase options from 30

FCC Approves Amazon Kuiper Orbital Debris Plan, Clearing Way for Deployment (Via Satellite) The FCC approved an updated orbital debris mitigation plan for Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellite constellation, clearing the way for Amazon to deploy the

LeoLab's newest space tracking radar expands Indo-Pacific coverage (Breaking Defense) "More geographic coverage helps revisit rates, so we see satellites more frequently. Which is quite critical," LeoLabs CEO Dan Ceperley told Breaking Defense.

SpaceX didn't intend that Starlink be 'weaponized' by Ukraine: Shotwell (Breaking Defense) Moscow has charged that Starlink is directly enhancing the ability of Ukrainian forces to target weapons on Russian forces.

Atlas Space Operations to Resell AWS Ground Station Through Partner Program (Via Satellite) Atlas Space Operations is joining the Amazon Web Services (AWS) solution provider program to resell AWS Ground Station. The solution provider program is

Canada's Power Nickel to Use Fleet Space Satellite-Based Mineral Exploration System (Via Satellite) Fleet Space Technologies is forming a partnership with Canadian metal exploration company, Power Nickel, the company announced Feb. 1. It will mark the

Satellite and Ground Station Operations

US Space Force crafting new schedule for GPS ground system (C4ISRNet) The service expects the new schedule for the Next-Generation Operational Control Segment to be approved this spring.

DIFI Lays the Building Blocks for Ground Tech Interoperability (Satellite Today) Continued adoption of the ground segment’s interoperable digital standard would lead to benefits reaching space. From scalability and new efficiencies to more confident end users, DIFI is set to play an important role for the whole satellite ecosystem.

Airbus to continue to support Germany's military satellites (Janes.com) Airbus will continue to operate and provide support for Germany's military satellite communication (satcom) systems.

Anuvu Taps Telesat for Ground Infrastructure for its Constellation (Via Satellite) Telesat has won a deal to provide antennas and ground station infrastructure to Anuvu, the two companies announced, Feb. 7. The facilities will support

Satellite in the Wild: How the Smithsonian and Iridium Track Animals from Space (Via Satellite) One of the most exciting things about the satellite industry is exploring how satellite can be used to improve life on Earth. Iridium and the Smithsonian

Policy, Strategy, and Regulation

'Out of control': DoD reviews use of super-secret SAP classification, for space programs and beyond (Breaking Defense) John Plumb, DoD assistant secretary for space policy, suggested overuse of SAPs is hindering information sharing across programs and, more importantly, to allies.

China is afraid of NASA’s Artemis return to the moon (Washington Examiner) Recently, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson warned that the U.S. and her allies are engaged in a space race with China. The prize is the mineral and energy riches of the moon. Nelson even suggested that the Chinese Communist Party will violate the Outer Space Treaty and claim the moon as its sovereign…

Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation

Astranis Wins US Space Force SBIR Contract to Implement Protected Tactical Waveform (Via Satellite) The U.S. Space Force has awarded MicroGEO satellite company Astranis a contract worth up to $10.5 million to implement a government waveform into its

NASA and DARPA are working on a nuclear-powered rocket that could go to Mars (Washington Post) The technology would also have significant national security implications

SpaceX Test Fires 31 Engines on the Most Powerful Rocket Ever (New York Times) The ignition of the Super Heavy booster may set up an uncrewed orbital flight test next month of Starship, the company’s prototype spacecraft.

Musk’s Long Road to Mars: How Poor Planning Dogged the Development of SpaceX Rocket (The Information) Early last year, Elon Musk stood on a stage near the coast of Southern Texas with a 400-foot-tall stainless steel rocket made by his company, SpaceX, jutting up into the night sky behind him. That rocket was supposed to be the first of a powerful new class of space vehicles, known as Starship, ...

Mynaric Delivers Laser Terminals to Telesat for DARPA Blackjack program (Via Satellite) Mynaric has delivered multiple lasercom terminals to Telesat for the operators' satellites involved in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s

Eric Schmidt Is Building the Perfect AI War-Fighting Machine (WIRED) The former Google CEO is on a mission to rewire the US military with cutting-edge artificial intelligence to take on China. Will it make the world safer?

US Army taps CACI to support Assured PNT development (Janes.com) The US Army has tapped US information technology company CACI International to support the service's ongoing development work on advanced Assured Positioning,...

Space Technology

The Time to Future-Proof Satellites is Now (Via Satellite) Satellites are vital to many of our day-to-day activities. They are as critical to infrastructure such as water treatment facilities, electrical

Russian Supply Ship Docked With ISS Loses Pressure, But Station Crew Safe (RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty) An uncrewed Russian supply ship docked at the International Space Station has lost cabin pressure, the Russian space authority reported on February 11, saying the incident doesn't pose any danger to the station's crew.

Roscosmos yet to examine source of Progress MS-21 leak — official (TASS) The exact location of the leak is not visible, said Sergei Krikalev, executive director of Roscosmos for manned space programs

NASA Prepares for What Could Go Wrong When Artemis Astronauts Return to Earth (Military.com) The launch is not slated until 2024, but teams are already prepping for a safe landing at Kennedy Space Center.

Japan's war on space junk (Nikkei Asia) Record numbers of satellite launches by China, Russia and U.S. are crowding Earth's orbit

Threats and Risks to Space Systems

A secret Russian satellite has broken apart in orbit, creating a cloud of debris that could last a century (Business Insider) Russia kept the Kosmos 2499 satellite's mission a secret, even after its bizarre maneuvers drew attention. Now it may have exploded in orbit.

Space Force Tracks Debris After Secretive Russian Satellite Breaks Up in Orbit (CNET) The purpose of Cosmos 2499 has been shrouded in mystery.

Satellite hack: BAE Systems forecasts major attack within 2023 (Airforce Technology) BAE’s head of space security predicts hack via satellite blinding laser, payload hijacking and insider compromise during 2023.

Miscellanea

A Timeline of the U.F.O.s That Were Shot Down (New York Times) After a Chinese spy balloon was brought down this month, the U.S. has shot down at least three unidentified flying objects recently.

What Were Those Flying Objects? Not Aliens, the White House Says. (New York Times) Here is what we know about the objects as well as the Chinese spy balloon that were taken down this month.

U.S. tracked China spy balloon from launch on Hainan Island along unusual path (Washington Post) The large Chinese surveillance device that flew across Alaska and the continental United States may have been diverted on an errant path caused by atypical weather conditions

Statement on Today's Actions by North American Aerospace Defense Command (U.S. Department of Defense) An F-16 successfully shot down an airborne object flying at approximately 20,000 feet altitude in U.S. airspace over Lake Huron in Michigan.

Many Military U.F.O. Reports Are Just Foreign Spying or Airborne Trash (New York Times) Forget space aliens or hypersonic technology; classified assessments show that many episodes have ordinary explanations.

What is ‘sky trash’ and is it linked to the mystery objects shot down by US? (the Guardian) Nearly 2,000 balloons are launched into the sky daily, to monitor everything from the weather to specific phenomena in space

US jets down 4 objects in 8 days, unprecedented in peacetime (AP NEWS) A U.S. fighter jet shot down an “unidentified object” over Lake Huron on Sunday on orders from President Joe Biden. It was the fourth such downing in eight days and the latest military strike in an extraordinary chain of events over U.S.

Timeline: A suspected Chinese spy balloon’s eight-day journey (Washington Post) The United States’ dramatic takedown of what it has called a Chinese surveillance balloon started with a few civilian sightings in America’s heartland and ended with a missile explosion over South Carolina so loud that it rattled homes below.

DoD Statement on High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon (U.S. Department of Defense) The United States Government has detected and is tracking a high altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now.

Pentagon Says It Detected a Chinese Spy Balloon Hovering Over Montana (New York Times) The revelation comes days before Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Beijing, where he is expected to meet with President Xi Jinping.

Chinese 'surveillance balloon' over US brings fear (Register) Floats over missile silos, shooting it down ruled more dangerous than whatever it's up to

Chinese spy balloon flies over the United States: Pentagon (Reuters) A Chinese spy balloon has been flying over the United States for a couple of days, U.S. officials said on Thursday, in what would be a brazen act just days ahead of a planned trip to Beijing by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The More You Look for Spy Balloons, the More UFOs You’ll Find (WIRED) No, there’s not a sudden influx of unidentified objects in the skies above the US—but the government is paying closer attention.

Why the U.S. Isn’t Shooting Down the Chinese Spy Balloon (The Atlantic) Homeland-security threats and national-security threats demand different responses.

General Says Chinese Surveillance Balloon Now Over Center of U.S. (U.S. Department of Defense) The maneuverable Chinese surveillance balloon, which was over Montana yesterday, is now at an altitude of about 60,000 feet and poses no risk to commercial aviation, military assets or people on the

F-22 Safely Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon Off South Carolina Coast (U.S. Department of Defense) A U.S. Air Force fighter safely shot down a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a written statement.

US Downs Chinese Balloon Off Carolina Coast (SecurityWeek) U.S. fighter jets shot down the Chinese spy balloon over the water off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday, Feb. 4.

Watch: Chinese spy balloon shot down off US coast (The Telegraph) An operation has begun to recover debris from the downed balloon as China 'reserves the right' to make 'further responses'

Chinese balloon's downing creates spectacle over tourism hub (AP NEWS) The downing of a suspected Chinese spy balloon just off South Carolina’s coast created a spectacle over one of the state’s tourism hubs and drew crowds reacting with a mixture of bewildered gazing, distress and cheering.

Statement From Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (U.S. Department of Defense) Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III issued a statement.

Opinion The inside story of how the U.S. shot down the Chinese balloon (Washington Post) Intelligence analysts distinguish between secrets and mysteries. The bizarre Chinese balloon overflight of the United States that ended with Saturday’s shoot-down over the Atlantic coast has elements of both.

Statement on Today's Actions by North American Aerospace Defense Command (U.S. Department of Defense) Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder issued a statement on actions by the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

Pentagon declines to comment on reports that Chinese surveillance balloon flew over Coronado (San Diego Union-Tribune) Media outlets cited unnamed U.S. officials who said a spy balloon flew over Coronado on an unspecified date.

Wall of Green Lasers Blankets Sky in Hawai'i, Likely From Chinese Satellite (Vice) The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan has said that NASA believes the bright green lasers were likely from a Chinese satellite.

US shoots down 'high altitude object' near Alaska (The Telegraph) Object flying at altitude of approximately 40,000 feet and could have posed a danger to civilian aircraft, White House says

US jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast (AP NEWS) A U.S. military fighter jet shot down an unknown object flying off the remote northern coast of Alaska on Friday on orders from President Joe Biden, White House officials said. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the object was downed because it was flying at about 40,000 feet (13,000 meters) and posed a “reasonable threat” to the safety of civilian flights, not because of any knowledge that it was engaged in surveillance.

Fighter aircraft shoot down car-sized ‘object’ flying near Alaska (Military Times) Officials have not been able to identify what the object is or to whom it belongs.

New unidentified ‘cylindrical’ object shot down over Canada (Washington Post) NORAD and military aircraft spotted and tracked the latest object, as search continues off Alaska for aircraft downed Friday

US shoots down another unidentified object over Canada (The Telegraph) The White House adds Chinese companies supporting surveillance programme to its blacklist after spy flights

US shoots down ‘octagonal’ flying object near military sites in Michigan (the Guardian) Military general says he will not rule out any explanation as fourth object is downed over North America this month

Efforts Underway to Recover Object Downed Over Lake Huron (U.S. Department of Defense) Efforts are underway to recover remnants of an object shot down over Lake Huron by a U.S. fighter jet — the third object downed over North America since a U.S. missile took down a Chinese surveillance

F-22 shoots down new 'object' over US airspace, days after Chinese balloon saga (Breaking Defense) Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, who avoided calling the object a “balloon” or "aircraft," noted it was “not similar in size or shape to the [Chinese] high-altitude surveillance balloon” that was destroyed on Feb. 4.

The U.S. shot 3 objects out of the sky in eight days. What to know. (Washington Post) Three unusual aircraft have been shot down by U.S. fighter jets over North America this month, incidents that have alarmed U.S. and Canadian lawmakers and ignited debate over the safety of the continent’s skies.

Air Force Shoots Down 'High-Altitude Object' off Alaskan Coast (U.S. Department of Defense) An Air Force F-22 shot down a high-altitude object off the northern coast of Alaska that posed a threat to civilian airliners, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said.

U.S. Shoots Down High-Altitude Object Over Alaska (New York Times) The incident comes less than a week after a U.S. fighter jet brought down a Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic during a diplomatic crisis.

Senior Defense Official and Senior Military Official Hold an Off-Camera, On-Background Pre (U.S. Department of Defense) A senior defense official and senior military official hold an off-camera, on-background press briefing on the high-altitude surveillance balloon.

US military failed to detect previous spy balloons from China (Military Times) Navy and Coast Guard ships are surrounding the wreckage from Saturday, working to recover debris.

Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder Holds an On-Camera Press Briefing (U.S. Department of Defense) Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder updated reporters during a Defense Department news briefing.

Navy admiral expresses ‘concern’ with Pentagon’s ability to detect Chinese spy balloons (The Hill) A Navy admiral and former head of U.S. Pacific Command on Tuesday said it was concerning that the Defense Department was unable to detect at least four previous Chinese spy balloons that flew over …

Other Chinese balloons slipped through 'domain awareness gap' in US defenses: General (Breaking Defense) "It's my responsibility to detect threats to North America. I will tell you that we did not detect those [previous] threats,” Gen. Glen VanHerck said.

Gallery: New photos released of effort to recover Chinese spy balloon (Military Times) An F-22 fighter jet from Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, shot down the balloon off the South Carolina coast on Feb. 4.

US jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast (AP NEWS) A U.S. military fighter jet shot down an unknown object flying off the remote northern coast of Alaska on Friday on orders from President Joe Biden, White House officials said. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the object was downed because it was flying at about 40,000 feet (13,000 meters) and posed a “reasonable threat” to the safety of civilian flights, not because of any knowledge that it was engaged in surveillance.

China says balloon is for research, accidently strayed (AP NEWS) China’s Foreign Ministry said Friday that a balloon the U.S. suspects of conducting surveillance was a civilian “airship” used for research, mainly meteorological purposes. The statement said the airship has limited steering capability and “deviated far from its planned course” because of winds.

'We know it's a surveillance balloon': Pentagon pushes back on PRC weather balloon claim - Breaking Defense (Breaking Defense) Military assets had been mobilized to potentially shoot the balloon down, but Pentagon Press Secretary Pat Ryder said so far the decision has been made to let it float, in part, because "any potential debris field would be significant" and a threat to people on the ground.

Trudeau: US warplane shot down object over Canada (Military Times) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that on his order a U.S. warplane has shot down an unidentified object flying high over northern Canada.

Gen. Glen VanHerck, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States (U.S. Department of Defense) The commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command held and off-camera, on-the-record briefing on the Chinese surveillance balloon recovery effort.

Unidentified object shot down over Alaska by US military, White House says (the Guardian) Spokesman John Kirby says object, the size of a small car, was ordered by President Biden to be downed

‘Unidentified object’ downed over Lake Huron (Military Times) U.S. officials say an “unidentified object” has been shot down Sunday for the third time in as many days, this time over Lake Huron.

US Used U-2 to Gather Intelligence on Chinese Spy Balloon (Air & Space Forces Magazine) Some of the most telling information about the Chinese spy balloon was gathered from U-2 flights over the continental U.S., officials said.

Second spy balloon spotted over Latin America, says Pentagon, as Blinken postpones China trip (the Guardian) Secretary of state calls the incident in US airspace a ‘clear violation of US sovereignty and international law’

China Says Balloon Over Latin America Was Also Blown Off Course (Bloomberg) China said a balloon that the Pentagon spotted over Latin America was blown off course, echoing an explanation for a vehicle seen over US military sites that the Biden administration has rejected.

US downs Chinese balloon over ocean, moves to recover debris (AP NEWS) The United States on Saturday downed a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America and became the latest flashpoint in tensions between Washington and Beijing.

U.S. Navy Collecting Surveillance Balloon Debris (U.S. Department of Defense) The U.S. military began collecting the remnants of a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon shot down off the coast of South Carolina by an Air Force fighter over the weekend.

U.S. Navy Divers Work to Recover Debris From Chinese Spy Balloon as Diplomacy Dwindles (New York Times) The effort off the coast of South Carolina is expected to take days, and Navy and Coast Guard ships have been sent to the scene. U.S. officials are watching for retaliation from China.

Navy launches Chinese surveillance balloon salvage operation (Navy Times) The dock landing ship Carter Hall is spearheading the Navy’s balloon debris recovery efforts and collecting remnants near where it collapsed.

US Moves to Recover Chinese Balloon While Weighing Retaliation (Bloomberg) Questions emerge on whether balloon payload used US technology. Blinken may take delayed China trip, bringing tougher message.

Senior Defense Official Holds a Background Briefing on High-Altitude Surveillance Balloon (U.S. Department of Defense) A senior defense official held a background briefing on high-altitude surveillance balloon.

Chinese spy balloon shot down not the first spotted over US during Biden’s tenure (The Telegraph) Remnants of the balloon are being retrieved off the surface of the sea in South Florida

The F-22s that downed China's spy balloon had call signs named for this WWI fighter ace (Task & Purpose) Meet the 'Arizona Balloon Buster.'

China prepares to shoot down unknown flying object near coast (The Telegraph) Maritime authorities in Shandong province, eastern China announce move in warning to fishermen

Balloons vs. satellites: Popping some misconceptions about capability and legality (Breaking Defense) There may not be an agreement on where airspace ends and space begins, but experts say other questions floated during the balloon saga have down-to-earth answers.

Flying Objects Could Turn Out to Be Harmless, U.S. Says (New York Times) Investigators have not yet found evidence that the three objects shot down in recent days were connected to China’s program of balloon surveillance.

Opinion | The First Time America Was Attacked by Balloons (POLITICO) History offers lessons for easing the current U.S.-China crisis.

No, these UFOs aren’t ‘aliens’. They’re Chinese balloons heralding a new era of warfare (The Telegraph) High-tech balloons are cheap, hard to track, and can be kitted out with accurate sensors or destructive payloads for offensive strikes

China’s Top Airship Scientist Promoted Program to Watch the World From Above (New York Times) Corporate records and media reports reveal an airship scientist at the center of China’s high-altitude balloon program. Companies he has founded were among those targeted by Washington.

A Rising Awareness That Balloons Are Everywhere in Our Skies (New York Times) As more unidentified objects were shot down by the U.S. Air Force in recent days, experts warned that there were an “endless” array of potential targets.

Chinese balloons have been 'transiting' Middle East, top general says (Breaking Defense) The Pentagon has changed how it tracks items in American airspace, increasing the number of objects it sees.

6 Historical Times High-Flying Balloons Became a Spectacular Annoyance (Military.com) The sudden appearance of so many "UFOs" and the sudden rise of F-22 air-to-air kills may make it seem like annoying "weather balloons" are a recent trend, but not so.

U.S. military says key sensors recovered from downed Chinese balloon (The Japan Times) "Crews have been able to recover significant debris from the site, including all of the priority sensor and electronics pieces identified," the U.S. military said in a statement.

Sensors recovered from downed Chinese spy balloon (The Telegraph) Discovery comes after US F-22 Raptor shot down craft off South Carolina coast on Feb 4

What is a suspected Chinese spy balloon doing above the US? (CNN) News that the Pentagon is monitoring a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon in the skies over the continental United States raises a series of questions -- not least among them, what exactly it might be doing.

Chinese Spy Balloon or ‘Civilian Device’? (New York Times) Here is what we know about the balloon.

China balloon: Many questions about suspected spy in the sky (AP NEWS) What in the world was that thing? The massive white orb that drifted across U.S. airspace triggered a diplomatic maelstrom and blew up on social media .

China’s Balloon May Have Taught the US More Than Beijing Learned From It, General Says (Defense One) Still, NORAD’s chief says the U.S. military took “precautions,” including “non-kinetic effects.”

China’s Balloon Program Grew From a Humble Start (Wall Street Journal) Modest beginnings have given way to a modern program of towering data-vacuums aloft that are rattling the U.S. military establishment.

The balloon intel we have, and don’t have (POLITICO) After almost a week of Chinese spy balloon drama, we’re finally getting some juicy details from officials — but there’s still much lying beneath the (ocean) surface.

Opinion: The Chinese spy balloon is the latest chapter in the history of high-altitude espionage and surveillance (The Globe and Mail) The story created a near-hysteria in political circles if not on the ground and, in breathless cable coverage, suggested a frightening new frontier in international spycraft. But in truth, China has been sending balloons aloft for years

Old-School Balloons Emerge as Possible High-Tech Spy Tools for China (Wall Street Journal) The high-altitude Chinese balloon spotted this week over the U.S. put into stark relief hardening views that Beijing is America’s top spying threat.

Why stratospheric balloons are used in era of space-based intelligence (Defense News) Experts say balloons loitering at high altitudes can offer some advantages over satellites and drones — and could at least augment ISR capabilities.

Balloons to cyber attacks: How China has spied on the US for decades (Task & Purpose) China tries to gather intel on the U.S. by combing through vast amounts of stolen data, one expert said.

Balloons vs. satellites: Popping some misconceptions about capability and legality (Breaking Defense) There may not be an agreement on where airspace ends and space begins, but experts say other questions floated during the balloon saga have down-to-earth answers.

China balloon: Many questions about suspected spy in the sky (Military Times) The massive white orb that drifted across U.S. airspace and was shot down by the military triggered a diplomatic maelstrom and blown up on social media.

Chinese Balloon Carried Antennas, Other Equipment to Gather Intelligence, U.S. Says (Wall Street Journal) The Biden administration is preparing to take action against China’s surveillance program, a senior State Department official said. FBI agents examined material recovered from the Chinese balloon.

Chinese Spy Balloons vs Spyware: An Intelligence Matchup? (Wilson Center) Over the past week, as balloon-watching became the national hobby and geopolitical tensions between the United States and China ratcheted ever higher, the same question kept popping up in online debates and in DC happy hours alike: Why didn’t the U.S. military shoot the Chinese spy balloon down sooner?

US says China balloon could collect intelligence signals (AP NEWS) The China balloon shot down by the U.S. was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a huge, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted more than 40 countries, the Biden administration declared Thursday, citing imagery from American U-2 spy planes.

The Chinese Spy Balloon Shows the Downsides of Spy Balloons (WIRED) A popular military tool during the Cold War, spy balloons have since fallen out of favor—for good reason.

Chinese hacking probably outweighs balloon, experts say (Washington Post) Don’t forget about Chinese hackers

Chinese balloon part of vast aerial surveillance program, U.S. says (Washington Post) Spy balloon effort operates in Hainan province off China’s south coast and has for years collected information on military assets in several countries, officials said.

In a world of drones and satellites, why use a spy balloon anyway? (Washington Post) In a world of advanced surveillance technology, including drones and satellites, why on earth would a country use a balloon for spying?

3 Spy Aircraft that Were Also 'Weather Balloons' (Military.com) China is probably just taking a page out of the U.S. government 1960s-era cover-up playbook that we'll call: The ol' "Weather Balloon Dodge."

13 thoughts China’s balloon (probably) had while floating over America (Military Times) "There’s been a lot of chatter about blowing me up lately. I’m a balloon. Technically I’m already blown up! HA!"

‘Saturday Night Live’ spoofs Chinese balloon incident (The Hill) “Saturday Night Live” poked fun in its cold open at the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot down by the U.S. military on Saturday afternoon after it spent days traveling through U.…

Pentagon Says Latest Shootdowns Result From Increased Caution (Bloomberg) Military acknowledges it doesn’t know what latest objects are

Chinese Surveillance Balloons Global in Scope, Says Official (U.S. Department of Defense) The U.S. is consulting with allies and partners on the challenge of identifying aerial phenomenon, John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council in the White

Latin America’s Silence on China’s Spy Balloons Speaks Volumes (World Politics Review) Latin American countries have been uncharacteristically silent about a Chinese spy balloon spotted over Costa Rica, Colombia and Venezuela.

Blinken tells China its spy balloon was ‘irresponsible’ after canceling Beijing trip (CNBC) Secretary of State Antony Blinken will postpone his trip to China next week after a suspected Beijing-operated spy balloon looming over parts of Montana.

China Says US Balloons Trespassed Over 10 Times Since Early 2022 (Bloomberg) US balloons illegally flew over China more than 10 times since the beginning of 2022, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.

Chinese foreign ministry says US also flies balloons over China (the Guardian) Spokesperson says US overreacting and claims it has made at least 10 airspace incursions since start of 2022

China rushes to cap damage over suspected spy balloon as Blinken delays trip (Washington Post) Beijing on Saturday offered a subdued rebuttal to Washington’s decision to delay a high-level visit after a suspected Chinese spy balloon was discovered hovering over the United States, derailing China’s recent efforts to repair its most important bilateral relationship.

China calls for calm amid growing row with US over suspected spy balloons (the Guardian) Beijing says it will ‘not accept any groundless conjecture’ after balloons spotted over US and Latin America

Four questions (and expert answers) about the curious case of the Chinese spy balloon (Atlantic Council) A Chinese surveillance balloon lingering over the US has become the latest flashpoint in the world's most important bilateral relationship. Our experts float their takes.

US downs Chinese balloon over ocean, moves to recover debris (AP NEWS) The United States on Saturday downed a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America and became the latest flashpoint in tensions between Washington and Beijing.

China steps up condemnation of balloon shooting by US (Financial Times) Formal protest lodged at embassy in Beijing accuses Washington of ‘indiscriminate use of military force’

China blames U.S. politics for ‘overreaction’ to suspected spy balloon (Washington Post) China accused the United States of an “overreaction” when it used a fighter jet to shoot down a suspected surveillance balloon off the South Carolina coast, as nationalist Chinese commentators blamed runaway political pressure in Washington for escalating the incident.

China Says It Will 'Safeguard Interests' over Balloon Shootdown (Military.com) China says it will "resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests" over the shooting down of a suspected Chinese spy balloon by the United States.

China accuses US of indiscriminate use of force over balloon (AP NEWS) China on Monday accused the United States of indiscriminate use of force in shooting down a suspected Chinese spy balloon , saying it “seriously impacted and damaged both sides’ efforts and progress in stabilizing Sino-U.S.

Balloon Incident Reveals More Than Spying as Competition With China Intensifies (New York Times) There is nothing new about superpowers spying on one another, even from balloons. But for pure gall, there was something different this time.

How a Chinese Spy Balloon Blew Up a Key U.S. Diplomatic Trip (Foreign Policy) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a visit to Beijing in response to a suspected spy balloon over U.S. territory.

Pentagon says Austin rebuffed when he sought to reach out to Beijing over Chinese spy balloon (The Hill) Directly after the U.S. military shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon on Saturday, the Pentagon’s top civilian attempted to reach out to his Chinese counterpart but was rebuffed, the …

Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Bilateral Meeting With Canadian Minist (U.S. Department of Defense) Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosted his Canadian counterpart, Minister of National Defense Anita Anand, for a bilateral meeting at the Pentagon.

Japan says balloon like U.S. one spotted in Kyushu in 2022 (Nikkei Asia) Tokyo to work with Washington to analyze and exchange details

Spy balloons: How would Japan respond? (Nikkei Asia) Fighter jets likely would be scrambled but Tokyo vows case-by-case response

What happens to Europe when the balloon goes up? (POLITICO) The spy balloon crisis is fuelling US tensions with China, putting Brussels in a bind.

U.S. declassifies balloon intelligence, calls out China for spying (Washington Post) The State Department on Thursday released details about China’s high-altitude balloon surveillance program, declassifying information collected by U.S. U-2 spy planes and other sources to expose what the Biden administration is calling a sophisticated effort to surveil “more than 40 countries across five continents.”

U.S. imposes security zone in search for Chinese balloon remnants (Reuters) The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday imposed a temporary security zone in waters off South Carolina during the military's search and recovery of debris from a suspected Chinese spy balloon that a U.S. fighter jet shot down.

Opinion: Suspected spy balloon shows how diplomacy can go way off course | CNN (CNN) On May 1, 1960, an American pilot, Francis Gary Powers, took off from a military airbase in Peshawar, Pakistan, in a top-secret U-2 spy plane to fly 3,000 miles across the Soviet Union, and take high resolution photos of military facilities.

Balloon bursts hopes for end to spiraling US-China tensions (AP NEWS) Monday was supposed to be a day of modest hope in the U.S.-China relationship. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was going to be in Beijing, meeting with President Xi Jinping in a high-stakes bid to ease ever-rising tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

Companies involved in the making of the Chinese spy balloon could face sanctions (Quartz) Washington is confident the manufacturer of the Chinese balloon has a “direct relationship” with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

Balloon Mind State (Puck) The D.C. foreign policy set responds to the ultimate meme-worthy, news cycle-driven international mini crisis of our times.

US Blacklists 6 Chinese Entities Over Balloon Program (SecurityWeek) The US blacklisted six Chinese entities it said were linked to Beijing's aerospace programs as part of its retaliation over a spy balloon.

China’s spy balloon can help deflate US nuclear tensions with Beijing (Defense News) Leaders should turn the diplomatic row into new discussions on strategic stability between two nuclear-armed powers.

What’s Going on Over North America? (The Atlantic) Fighting the eyes in the sky

A brief history of the Pentagon's efforts to track and identify UFOs (Task & Purpose) The U.S. military has been tracking UFOs for more than 70 years.

US defends decision to shoot down 3 unidentified objects (AP NEWS) WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House defended the shootdowns of three unidentified objects in as many days even as it acknowledged that officials had no indication the objects were intended for surveillance in the same manner as the high-altitude Chinese balloon that traversed American airspace earlier this month.

Melissa Dalton Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs (U.S. Department of Defense) Melissa Dalton, assistant secretary of defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs and Gen. Glen VanHerck, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, hold

White House Launches Effort to Examine Policy Choices for Shooting Down UFOs (Defense One) NORTHCOM has changed radar settings to get “better fidelity on seeing slower objects,” general says.

After UFO shoot-downs, senators fret over holes in homeland defenses (Defense News) Lawmakers are eyeing NORAD's capabilities after a suspected Chinese spy balloon and other objects pierced North America's airspace.

UK to launch security review over China spy balloons (The Telegraph) Defence Secretary to work with allies to analyse intelligence as MPs warn balloons may have already crossed over UK

Romania scrambles fighter jets to intercept unknown flying object (The Telegraph) Incident comes after Moldova closed its airspace amid fears first spy balloon may have been spotted in Europe

The Chinese Surveillance Balloon: Blown Out of Proportion? (Royal United Services Institute) While the flyover of the US by a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon caused much diplomatic furore, including the cancellation of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s China visit, the event itself is neither new nor particularly notable. A recurring response to surveillance balloons could, over the course of several years, reduce US resources and ultimately combat readiness levels.

Greene calls for probe into why Trump was unaware of previous Chinese balloons (The Hill) Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Monday called for a probe into why former President Trump was apparently not informed of previous Chinese surveillance balloons that Biden officials are sayin…

Does Congress Care About Defending America’s Skies? (Air & Space Forces Magazine) Brian J. Morra, a former Air Force Intelligence officer, argues Congress needs to press for answers on the Chinese surveillance balloon.

The red balloon over America: China’s violation of U.S. sovereignty can’t be ignored (Yahoo) There are plenty of jokes about China’s “civilian” balloon, just “studying the weather” that “mistakenly went far off its intended course.” Either that or Montana and Missouri meteorology is always of great interest in Manchuria, nevermind any peeking at various Air Force missile silos or strategic air bases that happen to be visible from 60,000 feet up. So here we caught China red-handed and ...

Chinese balloon wasn’t downed over Alaska due to ‘dangerous’ recovery (Defense News) The Pentagon is trying to justify its decision to lawmakers critical of how long it took the Biden administration to act.

McCarthy calls for intel briefing on Chinese spy balloon over Montana (POLITICO) Lawmakers also demand "full and accurate accounting" of what happened.

Lawmakers demand Biden address nation on UFO incursions (The Hill) Frustration on Capitol Hill is mounting after a string of aerial objects were shot down over U.S. and Canadian airspace in the last few days, raising a long list of questions that lawmakers say Pre…

Republican demands Joe Biden, Kamala Harris resign after 'catastrophic Chinese spy balloon spectacle' (Fox News) Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., demanded Saturday that both president Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris should resign after allowing a Chinese spy balloon to fly over America.

What we know about Chinese balloon sightings during Trump presidency (The Hill) The U.S. military shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon on Saturday off the coast of South Carolina after it floated for days through U.S. airspace. Republicans have blasted Biden for …

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