A U.S. fighter jet on Sunday shot down an unidentified object flying over Lake Huron in Michigan on the orders of President Joe Biden, the Defense Department said, citing a potential hazard to civil aviation.
It was the fourth flying object to be downed over North American airspace this month. The stepped-up air defense activity began when a suspected Chinese balloon started traversing the continental United States late last month. It was shot down Feb. 4 off the coast of South Carolina.
The fourth object, which was flying at an altitude of about 6 kilometers, was downed at 2:42 p.m. by an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile fired from an F-16 fighter, according to Pat Ryder, the department's press secretary.
He said in a statement that the object was detected by the North American Aerospace Defense Command in the morning and the location used for the downing was chosen to avoid affecting people on the ground and to raise chances for debris recovery.
File photo shows members of the U.S. Navy recovering debris of a surveillance balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 5, 2023. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy)(Kyodo)
The Pentagon said the object, based on its flight path, likely traveled over Montana near "sensitive" military sites and had potential surveillance capabilities, although it did not pose a military threat.
On Saturday, an unidentified flying object that entered the territorial airspace of Canada was shot down by a U.S. F-22 fighter jet belonging to the defense command operated by the two countries.
Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand described it as "a small cylindrical object" that was flying at an altitude of around 12 km. It was destroyed over the country's Yukon territory.
A day earlier, another flying object was downed over Alaska.
The origin of the three objects shot down after the Chinese balloon remains unknown. Beijing has insisted its balloon was a civilian airship for weather research.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday that U.S. officials believe the objects shot over Alaska and Canada in the previous two days were balloons but that they were "much smaller" than the Chinese one, estimated to have been the size of three buses and equipped with multiple antennas and solar panels.
Related coverage:
U.S. jet shoots down unidentified flying object over Canada: PM
U.S. military downs unknown object over Alaska
Chinese military unit involved in balloon operation: sources
It was the fourth flying object to be downed over North American airspace this month. The stepped-up air defense activity began when a suspected Chinese balloon started traversing the continental United States late last month. It was shot down Feb. 4 off the coast of South Carolina.
The fourth object, which was flying at an altitude of about 6 kilometers, was downed at 2:42 p.m. by an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile fired from an F-16 fighter, according to Pat Ryder, the department's press secretary.
He said in a statement that the object was detected by the North American Aerospace Defense Command in the morning and the location used for the downing was chosen to avoid affecting people on the ground and to raise chances for debris recovery.
File photo shows members of the U.S. Navy recovering debris of a surveillance balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 5, 2023. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy)(Kyodo)
The Pentagon said the object, based on its flight path, likely traveled over Montana near "sensitive" military sites and had potential surveillance capabilities, although it did not pose a military threat.
On Saturday, an unidentified flying object that entered the territorial airspace of Canada was shot down by a U.S. F-22 fighter jet belonging to the defense command operated by the two countries.
Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand described it as "a small cylindrical object" that was flying at an altitude of around 12 km. It was destroyed over the country's Yukon territory.
A day earlier, another flying object was downed over Alaska.
The origin of the three objects shot down after the Chinese balloon remains unknown. Beijing has insisted its balloon was a civilian airship for weather research.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday that U.S. officials believe the objects shot over Alaska and Canada in the previous two days were balloons but that they were "much smaller" than the Chinese one, estimated to have been the size of three buses and equipped with multiple antennas and solar panels.
Related coverage:
U.S. jet shoots down unidentified flying object over Canada: PM
U.S. military downs unknown object over Alaska
Chinese military unit involved in balloon operation: sources
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Summary
U.S. downs fourth unidentified object over Lake Huron, following increased air defense activity, including the downing of a suspected Chinese balloon. The latest object was detected by North American Aerospace Defense Command and had potential surveillance capabilities, though no military threat
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ID: d533871c-19d6-4490-9356-8ea8fc3a669b
Category ID: kyodo
Created: 2023/02/13 12:28
Updated: 2025/12/09 07:29
Last Read: 2023/02/13 12:28