Ashish Ranjan
A US F-22 fighter jet shot down an unidentified cylindrical object over Canada on Saturday, the second such shootdown in as many days, as North America appeared to be on high alert in the wake of a week-long Chinese spy balloon story that garnered international attention.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada initially reported the shootdown of Cylindrical object over the Yukon region in the country’s north and stated that Canadian soldiers would recover and study the aircraft’s debris.
A US F-22 fighter jet shot down an unidentified cylinder over Canada on Saturday, the second such shootdown in as many days, as North America appeared to be on high alert in the wake of a week-long Chinese spy balloon story that garnered international attention.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada initially reported the shootdown over the Yukon region in the country’s north and stated that Canadian soldiers would recover and study the aircraft’s debris.
The Canadian Minister of Defence, Anita Anand, declined to speculate on the origin of the cylinder-shaped object. She refrained from referring to it as a balloon, but claimed it resembled the Chinese balloon that was shot down off the coast of South Carolina a week ago. She stated that it was flying at 40,000 feet and constituted a threat to civilian air traffic at 3:41 EST when it was shot down (2041 GMT).Anand stated at a news conference, “There is no reason to believe that the impact of the item on Canadian territory is of any public concern.”
The Pentagon reported that the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected the object Friday evening above Alaska. US fighter jets from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska observed the object as it entered Canadian airspace, where it was joined by Canadian CF-18 and CP-140 aircraft.
I spoke with President Biden this afternoon. Canadian Forces will now recover and analyze the wreckage of the object. Thank you to NORAD for keeping the watch over North America.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 11, 2023
“After careful cooperation between U.S. and Canadian officials, a U.S. F-22 shot down the Cylindrical object in Canadian territory with an AIM 9X missile,” said Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder in a statement.
The Pentagon stated that U.S. President Joe Biden authorised the U.S. military to collaborate with Canada to bring down the high-altitude drone during a phone discussion between Biden and Trudeau. According to the White House, Biden and Trudeau vowed to continue working closely together to “protect our airspace.”
The White House said in a statement, “The leaders highlighted the necessity of recovering the artefact in order to learn more about its purpose or origin.”Biden authorised the destruction of another unidentified flying object near Deadhorse, Alaska, a day earlier. On Saturday, the U.S. military remained tight-lipped about what, if anything, it had learned during recovery attempts on the Alaskan sea ice.
Friday, the Pentagon provided only a few information, including that the object was the size of a compact car, was flying at an altitude of around 40,000 feet, was incapable of manoeuvring, and looked to be unmanned. Since the item was originally observed on Thursday, U.S. officials have been attempting to learn more about it.
“At this time, we have no additional information regarding the object, including its capabilities, intent, or origin,” said Northern Command on Saturday.
It was highlighted that arctic weather conditions, such as wind chill, snow, and short sunshine, can impede search and recovery attempts.
Northern Command stated that personnel will adapt recovery activities to protect safety.After a week-long flight across the United States and parts of Canada, a Chinese surveillance balloon was shot down by a U.S. F-22 fighter jet off the coast of South Carolina on February 4, according to the U.S. authorities. The Chinese government stated that the vessel was a civilian research vessel.
Some U.S. politicians chastised Biden for deflating the Chinese balloon too slowly. The U.S. military advised delaying the launch until it was over the ocean for concern of debris-related injuries.Since the shootdown of the 60-meter-tall (200-foot-tall) Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon, U.S. soldiers have been scanning the seas for debris and the traces of electronic equipment.
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The Pentagon has stated that a major portion of the balloon has been recovered or identified, indicating that American officials may soon have further information regarding any Chinese spying capabilities aboard the airship.Northern Command stated that the sea conditions on February 10 “permitted dive and underwater unmanned vehicle (UUV) activities and the recovery of more debris from the sea floor.”
