What Was China Trying To Accomplish With The Spy Balloon? National Security Experts Weigh In

National security Experts believe that Chinese A spy balloon recently crossed the United States was a surprise for officials responsible for guarding Military Unusual threats: American Responses to Secrets and a Test for American Responses

Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Pat Ryder Announcement On Thursday, the military observed “a high altitude surveillance balloon” The nation. The vessel then crossed Montana, where there are several missile silos as well as defense assets. Been there. Over states like Missouri and Kansas before the object was shot down Coast of the Carolinas.

Biden’s administration was criticized for not lowering the balloon above Montana or the Aleutian Islands. Critics claim that the threat of falling debris would have been reduced. Reports indicated that Secretary of State Antony Blinken was scheduled to travel to China, but the decision to not take the asset out was delayed.

Bryan Clark, the director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for Defense Concepts and Technology, told The Daily Wire that the balloon was “not a direct threat” But could have allowed China to “obtain close-up visual imagery from different angles” Its low earth orbit satellites.

“That could improve China’s ability to target U.S. missile silos and better understand the construction and layout of U.S. bomber bases in places like Montana and North Dakota where the balloon is flying,” He stated. “It could have obtained signals intelligence by listening in on U.S. military radio and radar signals. Because satellite flyovers are known and predictable, U.S. forces avoid transmitting sensitive signals during those windows, but the balloon can fly an unpredictable route and show up unexpectedly.”

It could also have been a balloon “a test of U.S. air surveillance and response to less obvious threats,” Clark was a former researcher for DARPA as well as the Office of the Secretary of Defense. “Russian bombers and surveillance aircraft regularly test U.S. responses in the high north, but unarmed uncrewed aircraft like this balloon present a situation U.S. air forces may not have a well-practiced response for.”

Lawmakers were shocked that the balloon could travel through areas of the country that house sensitive military assets. Senator Steve Daines (R MT) stated in a Letter Lloyd Austin, Defense Secretary, said that the incident created a new threat to national security. “significant concern” He requested a security briefing to discuss the incident.

Victoria Coates, a senior research fellow for the Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, told The Daily Wire that the surveillance balloon is similar to the national security threats Presented TikTok is a Chinese social media platform. She agreed that China has been a great country. “more sophisticated satellite options for gathering information” However, it was suggested that it could be. “developing a redundant system” Use less advanced technology to ensure more consistent information flows

“Make no mistake about it, this violation of U.S. sovereignty on the eve of Secretary Blinken’s scheduled trip to China was not only about surveillance, it was also about testing whether or not the Biden administration would respond strongly and risk the diplomatic engagement,” She made the comment. “Unfortunately, until the story blew up in the news they clearly prioritized keeping the trip over defending the national security of the United States, and even though it’s been delayed, Secretary Blinken said in his statement he expects it to be rescheduled and expressed his commitment to diplomacy.”