U.S. Military Releases New Details About Balloon That Flew Over Hawaii

New Details Released About Mysterious Balloon Over Hawaii

The U.S. military has released new details about a mysterious balloon that recently flew over Hawaii. According to a statement from the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), an unmanned balloon was detected and observed off the coast of Hawaii on April 28th, floating at approximately 36,000 feet. The ownership of the balloon is unknown, but officials claim that there is no indication that it was being controlled by a foreign or adversarial actor.

No Threat to Civil Aviation or Defense Infrastructure

Despite flying at an altitude common in civil aviation, the balloon did not pose a threat to civil aviation or defense critical infrastructure. The Secretary of Defense concurred with the recommendation of his military commanders that no action need be taken against the balloon. The balloon is now out of Hawaii’s airspace and territorial waters.

Chinese Spy Balloon Flew Over U.S. in February

This report comes after a Chinese spy balloon flew over the U.S. back in February. The balloon gathered and reported intelligence from multiple sensitive American military sites despite the Pentagon’s claims that it blocked transmission. The spy balloon was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean on February 4 when the U.S. military used an F-22 Raptor to down the object with a single air-to-air AIM-9X Sidewinder missile.

General Glen VanHerck Confirms Details

General Glen VanHerck, Commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), confirmed that the balloon was up to 200 feet tall and weighed “in excess of a couple thousand pounds.” After the balloon was shot down, the U.S. subsequently downed three more unidentified objects over Alaska, Lake Huron, and Canada.

Conclusion

The recent balloon over Hawaii has raised concerns about potential threats to U.S. airspace. While officials claim that the balloon did not pose a threat, it is important to remain vigilant and monitor any suspicious activity in the skies.