Government officials said Thursday that a huge spy balloon from China is flying over the Americas.
“The United States government has detected and is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is currently flying over the continental United States,” Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters. “NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) continues to track and monitor it closely.”
A senior defense official said they were “confident” the balloon was sent by the Chinese government – and this is not the first incident.
“Examples of this activity have been noted over the past several years, including before this administration,” the official said.
President Joe Biden was briefed on the blimp and “asked for military options,” the official said. Biden is following the recommendation of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, and Gen. Glenn D. VanHerk not to “take kinetic action because of the risk to the safety and security of people on the ground from a potential debris field.”
“Currently, we estimate that this balloon has limited value-add from an intelligence-gathering perspective,” the official said. “But we are taking steps nonetheless to protect against foreign intelligence’s collection of sensitive information.”
The official said the balloon was seen over Montana earlier Thursday.
The FAA confirmed there was a ground stop in Billings, Montana, on Wednesday, but an agency spokesperson did not release further details.
Earlier on Thursday, a senior US official described the balloon to ABC News as being the size of three buses, with a technology bay.
ABC News’ Amanda Miley contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. . Please check back for updates
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