A “high-altitude object” has been shot down by the U.S. military off the coast of Alaska, according to the Defense Department.
“Fighter aircraft assigned to U.S. Northern Command successfully took down a high altitude airborne object off the northern coast of Alaska at 1:45 pm Eastern Standard Time today within U.S. sovereign airspace over U.S. territorial water,” Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, said. “On February 9, North American Aerospace Defense Command detected an object on ground radar and further investigated and identified the object using fighter aircraft. The object was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight.”
“U.S. Northern Command is beginning recovery operations now. U.S. Northern Command’s Alaska Command coordinated the operation, with assistance from the Alaska Air National Guard, Federal Aviation Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Ryder added.
The news comes shortly after a Chinese spy balloon was shot down after fully traversing the United States. However, the object shot down over Alaska did not resemble a spy balloon, the Defense Department said.
“We have no further details about the object at this time, including any description of its capabilities, purpose, or origin. The object was about the size of a small car, so not similar in size or shape to the high altitude surveillance balloon that was taken down off the coast of South Carolina on February 4,” Ryder said
