The US Air Force has detected Chinese spy balloons over Central Command’s area of responsibility in the Middle East, but the aircraft do not appear to pose a danger to US or allied forces, an Air Force general said on Monday.
“Although we’ve seen high-altitude balloons in the region before, they haven’t been a threat, they haven’t been anything of concern to us,” Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander of US Air Force Central Command, told a news conference. . Center for New American Security conference on Monday.
“I understand why people are asking the question in the current context, but it’s not something I lose sleep over at night over at all.”
The revelation comes after an F-22 shot down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4.
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White House officials said the surveillance plane downed earlier this month was part of a “fleet of balloons developed to conduct surveillance operations” by China.
“When you look at the scale of this programme, which operates on at least five continents in regions such as Latin America, South America, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Europe, it once again demonstrates why, for the Department of Defense, China remains the pace challenge and something we will continue to remain focused on,” Defense Department Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said last week.
US forces recover debris from a downed Chinese surveillance balloon. (US Fleet Forces)
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Three more flying objects were shot down in recent days over northeastern Alaska, the Canadian territory of Yukon and Lake Huron.
The nature of these objects and their country of origin are as yet undetermined. Recovery efforts are ongoing.
