Chinese Spy Balloon: The US State Department said on Thursday that a Chinese spy balloon shot down by the US military over the Atlantic Ocean was able to collect communications signals.
The State Department said it was part of a fleet of surveillance balloons commanded by the Chinese military that flew over more than 40 countries across the continents.
The US military shot down a Chinese spy balloon on Saturday while it was hovering in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South Carolina.
US agencies said the balloon had passed over the continental US for several days after entering US airspace over Montana on January 30.
“We know that the PRC (People’s Republic of China) has spread these surveillance balloons to more than 40 countries across five continents. The Biden administration is reaching out to countries directly about the scope of this program and will answer any questions. Has been,” said a senior State Department official.
“We know that these balloons are part of the PRC (People’s Republic of China) fleet of balloons, which have been developed to conduct surveillance operations. Such activities are often carried out under instructions from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA),” the official said. but are done.”
The company also advertises balloon products on its website and hosts videos of past flights that appear to have flown at least half of US airspace and the airspace of other countries. The flight patterns in these advertised balloon videos appears to be similar to the one we are discussing this week,” the official said.
“The United States will also explore taking action against PRC entities linked to the PLA that supported the balloon incursion into US airspace. We will also look to broader efforts to expose and address the PRC’s extensive surveillance activities that threaten our pose a threat to national security,” and to our allies and partners,” the official said.
The official alleged, “High-resolution imagery from the U-2 flybys revealed that the high-altitude balloon was capable of conducting signals intelligence collection operations. The high-altitude balloon’s equipment was clearly intended for intelligence surveillance and equipment.” The onboard weather was inconsistent with the balloon.” ,
“It had multiple antennas to collect communications and include an array capable of geo-locating. It was also equipped with solar panels large enough to produce the power required to operate multiple active intelligence collection sensors,” the official said. Was.”
,With inputs from PTI,
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