U.S. military fighter jets intercepted a high-altitude balloon Friday flying over the western part of the country, officials said.
In a statement, North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, said the balloon was flying at an altitude of 43,000 to 45,000 feet.
“The balloon was intercepted by NORAD fighters over Utah, who determined it was not maneuverable and did not present a threat to national security,” a NORAD spokesperson said. “NORAD will continue to track and monitor the balloon. The [Federal Aviation Administration] also determined the balloon posed no hazard to flight safety. NORAD remains in close coordination with the FAA to ensure flight safety.”
While the object is not a threat, its origin and purpose remain a mystery. The balloon was first spotted heading east in the jet stream at an altitude of more than 40,000 feet. It was seen over Colorado earlier in the day.
Rep. Matt Rosendale, Montana Republican, wrote on X that he and his staff “will be tracking this development closely.”
This balloon comes just over a year after the U.S. Air Force shot down a Chinese spy balloon after it gathered intelligence from several U.S. military sites, causing tensions to flare between the U.S. and China.
That incident sparked chaos and confusion in American skies. The military shot down multiple unidentified craft traveling in North American airspace in the days afterward, including a memorable incident on Super Bowl Sunday last year when U.S. fighter jets took down an octagonal object over the waters of Lake Huron.
Those objects are believed to have been weather balloons or other small objects used for research. » …
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