The United States shoots down a “high-altitude object” over Alaska

• US fighter jet shot down an unidentified object.
• The purpose or origin of the new item is unknown.
• It posed a threat to civil aviation while floating at 40,000 feet.

WASHINGTON – The White House claimed on Friday that a United State fighter jet shot down an unidentified object drifting high over Alaska, just six days after the downing of an alleged Chinese spy balloon triggered a new diplomatic split with Beijing.

According to White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, the purpose or origin of the new item is unknown. Still, it was removed because it posed a threat to civil aviation while floating at 40,000 feet.

“The president ordered the military to down the object,” Kirby said.

Questioned about the incident by reporters at the White House, Biden said the shoot-down “was a success.”

The object, according to Kirby, was far smaller than a massive Chinese balloon that crossed the United States last week and was shot down by a US fighter jet off the Atlantic coast on Saturday.

Roughly the size of a small car

It was “roughly the size of a small car,” he said.

“We do not know who owns it, whether state-owned or corporate-owned,” he said. “We don’t understand the full purpose.”

According to Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Pat Ryder, the device was brought down by an F-22 Raptor using an AIM-9X missile – the same aircraft and munition used to target the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon.

The incident occurred amid renewed concern among US officials about China’s continued operation to launch surveillance balloons around the world to collect intelligence.

According to US officials, such balloons have flown over 40 countries, including at least four times over US territory.

Last week’s Chinese balloon generated particular anxiety since it sailed over places where the US stockpiles nuclear weapons in underground silos and bases strategic bombers.

The event prompted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to abandon a long-planned trip to Beijing aimed at boosting communications between the two antagonistic nations.

The new item was discovered late Thursday and shot down Friday afternoon, according to Kirby.

It crashed in northern Alaska near the Canadian border and landed over a frozen body of water, making recovery possible, according to Kirby.

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