US monitors high-altitude balloon over West – ExBulletin
The U.S. military is monitoring a small unidentified balloon flying at high altitude over the West, according to two U.S. officials and a defense official. A fighter jet was sent to observe the balloon after it was spotted over Utah this morning. The balloon, which hovers between 43,000 and 45,000 feet, does not appear to pose a threat to U.S. national security, the officials said.
The United States is not saying who owns the balloon, but two U.S. officials said early indications suggest it did not come from a foreign government. The balloon is unwieldy and has a small, box-shaped payload, officials said.
NORAD will continue to track and monitor the balloon, a defense official said, referring to the North American Aerospace Defense Command. The FAA also determined that the balloon posed no danger to flight safety. NORAD remains in close coordination with the FAA to ensure flight safety.
The balloon, which was first reported by CBS News, was spotted about a year after the United States shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon in February 2023. NBC News previously reported that the spy balloon was capable of collecting intelligence on several sensitive US military sites. Chinese government officials have denied that last year’s balloon was used for espionage.
As the situation unfolds, the U.S. government remains vigilant in monitoring the high-altitude balloon to ensure the safety and security of the region.
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