WASHINGTON — The U.S. military shot down an airborne object over Alaskan airspace on Friday, as confirmed by the White House.
The Defense Department had been monitoring a high-altitude object that posed a potential risk to civilian flights, flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet.
The decision to take down the object was made at the direction of President Biden. According to John Kirby, a national security spokesperson for the White House, the object was shot down by fighter aircraft assigned to U.S. Northern Command and landed in U.S. waters.
The decision to take down the object was made at the direction of President Biden. According to John Kirby, a national security spokesperson for the White House, the object was shot down by fighter aircraft assigned to U.S. Northern Command and landed in U.S. waters
The Pentagon press secretary, Brig Gen. Pat Ryder, stated that the origin of the object is unknown, and the government is still collecting information about it. Kirby added that officials expect to be able to recover the debris, but its purpose and ownership remain unclear.
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The object was shot down using an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile fired by an F-22 aircraft stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska.
This event follows the recent shooting down of a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina, which drew criticism from Republicans. Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski expressed her anger over the handling of the situation, stating that Alaska serves as the first line of defense for the U.S. against potential threats from Russia and China.
Despite the criticism, President Biden downplayed the impact of the incursion, stating that he did not view it as a “major breach.”