US Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon Written 6 February 2023
Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recovering a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, SC, Feb. 5, 2023. | Credit: USN–©; Associated Press
The New York Times reported that “the United States shot down a Chinese spy balloon on Saturday.” The balloon “spent five days traveling in a diagonal southeast route from Idaho to the Carolinas” and “was shot down within moments of its arrival over the Atlantic Ocean,” off the coast of South Carolina. “One of two F-22 fighter jets from Langley Air Force Base fired a Sidewinder air-to-air missile, downing the balloon, which was flying at an altitude of 60,000 to 65,000 feet. The F-22s were at 58,000 feet, with other American fighters in support.”
Full Story (New York Times)