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US Spies Discover Chinese Spy Balloon Was Capable of Real-Time Transmission
A US spy balloon that crossed into the country in late January was equipped with technology that allowed it to transmit information back to Beijing in real-time, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The balloon, which first entered US airspace over Alaska, then passed through Canada and down into Montana before being shot down by the US off the East Coast on February 4. However, its true intentions remain shrouded in mystery, with officials now acknowledging that it was capable of conducting signals intelligence collection operations during its flight.
Gen. Glen VanHerck, the commander of US Northern Command and NORAD, had previously stated that the balloon did not pose a significant threat beyond what already exists in actionable technical means from China. However, a senior State Department official has revealed that the balloon was indeed capable of collecting signals intelligence while it floated across the country.
The Chinese government has denied that its surveillance program involves deliberately maneuvering balloons into continental US airspace, claiming instead that the one shot down by the US was just a weather balloon thrown off course. Nonetheless, officials believe that China did maintain some ability to control the balloon, and once it reached Montana, it loitered over sensitive sites and tried to collect intelligence.
The incident has further escalated tensions between Washington and Beijing, with the postponement of a diplomatic visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China. While the full extent of what the balloon was able to gather remains unknown, officials have been assessing whether there is any new intelligence that the US is not aware of yet.
In recent years, sources tell CNN that the Chinese surveillance program has conducted at least two dozen missions over at least five continents, with roughly half a dozen of those flights being within US airspace. The US does not know the precise size of the fleet of Chinese surveillance balloons, but this latest incident highlights the growing concern about the capabilities and intentions of China's intelligence apparatus.
This story is developing, and CNN will provide updates as more information becomes available.
A US spy balloon that crossed into the country in late January was equipped with technology that allowed it to transmit information back to Beijing in real-time, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The balloon, which first entered US airspace over Alaska, then passed through Canada and down into Montana before being shot down by the US off the East Coast on February 4. However, its true intentions remain shrouded in mystery, with officials now acknowledging that it was capable of conducting signals intelligence collection operations during its flight.
Gen. Glen VanHerck, the commander of US Northern Command and NORAD, had previously stated that the balloon did not pose a significant threat beyond what already exists in actionable technical means from China. However, a senior State Department official has revealed that the balloon was indeed capable of collecting signals intelligence while it floated across the country.
The Chinese government has denied that its surveillance program involves deliberately maneuvering balloons into continental US airspace, claiming instead that the one shot down by the US was just a weather balloon thrown off course. Nonetheless, officials believe that China did maintain some ability to control the balloon, and once it reached Montana, it loitered over sensitive sites and tried to collect intelligence.
The incident has further escalated tensions between Washington and Beijing, with the postponement of a diplomatic visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China. While the full extent of what the balloon was able to gather remains unknown, officials have been assessing whether there is any new intelligence that the US is not aware of yet.
In recent years, sources tell CNN that the Chinese surveillance program has conducted at least two dozen missions over at least five continents, with roughly half a dozen of those flights being within US airspace. The US does not know the precise size of the fleet of Chinese surveillance balloons, but this latest incident highlights the growing concern about the capabilities and intentions of China's intelligence apparatus.
This story is developing, and CNN will provide updates as more information becomes available.