China Balloon Shot Down Video and Controversy Explained

China Balloon Shot Down Video – The dramatic story on television and social media reached an explosive conclusion last week when the United States shot down a Chinese “spy” balloon, days after the surveillance device was first spotted over American airspace. This furthered the already strained diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Here in this article, this controversy has been explained properly, along with the China Balloon shot down video.

So without further ado, let us dive into the details.

The China Balloon Controversy: What Happened?

Early this month, reports of a gigantic white sphere that was thought to be the size of three school buses and was seen hovering over the U.S. State of Montana attracted attention from all around the world as origin hypotheses and attempts to follow the object’s location in real-time surfaced.

The reconnaissance balloon originated in China, penetrated the air defense zone north of the Aleutian Islands on January 28, traveled over land via Alaska and into Canadian airspace, then returned to the United States over Idaho, putting an end to rumors.

The military considered shooting down the balloon, which the Pentagon believed was a Chinese surveillance device carrying sensors and equipment to gather information about military and other strategic sites like Montana, home to one of the country’s three nuclear missile silo fields.

Authorities learned that the balloon could maneuver and alter its route. “We observed that. It lingered at specific locations. Left and right it went. It was moving inside the jet stream as we watched. That’s how it was functioning, a representative stated.” They also mentioned that the balloon featured rudders and propellers.

Even though the Pentagon knew the balloon had no weapons, it decided against taking aerial action at the moment due to the dangers it posed to those on the ground because of its enormous size and height. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration stopped aerial operations at three airports out of an abundance of caution.

After some initial hesitation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry recognized that the balloon was from China but refuted spying charges as the news of the “spy” balloon traveling across American skies generated a sensation. It steadfastly maintained that the balloon was an off-course civilian airship primarily employed for meteorological research. “The Chinese side regrets that the airship accidentally entered U.S. airspace due to force majeure.”

According to the statement, the Chinese side will keep in touch with the U.S. side and appropriately handle this unexpected circumstance brought on by force majeure. While certain that it respects other nations’ sovereignty, Beijing also expressed “regret” over the event.

President Biden approved the plan to deflate the balloon on February 1 after it had traveled the nation for several days. The military chose to wait until the balloon was over water off the coast of South Carolina before launching it to guarantee that nobody on the ground would be hurt.

China Balloon Shot Down Video

U.S. officials took action to prevent the balloon from gathering critical information long before it was shot down, decreasing its intelligence value to the Chinese. NASA evaluated the debris field before the mission based on the balloon’s trajectory, the weather, and the anticipated sensor payload. The mission involved numerous fighters and refueling aircraft, including F-15s and tanker aircraft. However, it was an F-22 Raptor fighter jet that took out from a Virginia air force base that used a short-range AIM-9X Sidewinder missile to destroy the balloon.

From 58,000 feet, the F-22 launched the Sidewinder missile at the balloon. When the balloon hovered between 60,000 and 65,000 feet, the missile pierced it (18-20 km). According to accounts, 11 kilometers were covered with debris, most of which fell into shallow water.

Parts of the deflated balloon fell into the ocean following a tiny explosion, which was captured on film as the balloon was brought down. Following the mission’s conclusion, the U.S. notified China of its action.

China strongly reacted to the balloon being shot down by a missile, insisting that the flyover was an accident and denouncing America for its “obvious overreaction.” According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the decision to shoot down the balloon has “seriously harmed and damaged” relations between the two nations.

What is China saying about the balloon?

The Chinese foreign ministry reprimanded the United States for shooting down their balloon.

According to the statement, “China expresses its serious displeasure and protest over the U.S. deploying force to strike civilian unmanned airships.”

The ministry claimed they informed the Americans that the alleged spy balloon was an airship “for civilian use and accidentally entered the U.S. because of a force majeure. China expects the U.S. to handle it professionally, tactfully, and calmly.”

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, China, the balloon was neither a military nor personal danger.

The statement added that the United States’ insistence on deploying force in these circumstances was “obviously an excessive reaction that significantly violates international convention.” China reserves the right to respond further and will steadfastly defend the lawful rights and interests of the relevant firm.

The mayor of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, condemned the government for how it handled shooting down the alleged spy balloon.

“While this was done in a way that maintained the safety of our population, I do have concerns about how the federal government can enable a foreign opponent to fly unimpeded from Montana to our doorstep,” the mayor Brenda Bethune stated in a letter.

Bethune continued by requesting more openness from the administration regarding the circumstances around the balloon.

In her letter, she expressed her hope that the federal government would explain what had occurred and how it might be avoided.

How was the Spy Balloon shot down?

A Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor jet from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, right off the coast of South Carolina, eventually shot down the balloon. The balloon traveled 18,000 and 19,800 meters when the aircraft launched a single AIM-9X missile from almost 18,000 meters (58,000 feet).

An unnamed senior defense official stated on February 4 that “shooting the balloon down addressed the surveillance threat posed to military sites and further neutralized any intelligence value it could have created, preventing it from returning to the PRC [People’s Republic of China].” Furthermore, shooting the balloon down might allow the U.S. to retrieve valuable PRC technology.

Teams from the U.S. Navy and FBI are attempting to recover the wreckage, which fell in water barely 15 meters deep and was dispersed over an 11-kilometer region.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did the military shoot down the Chinese balloon?

According to the Pentagon, the U.S. military shot down a Chinese high-altitude balloon that drifted off the East Coast in the Carolinas.

How high was the balloon when it was shot down?

The balloon traveled 18,000 and 19,800 meters when the aircraft launched a single AIM-9X missile from almost 18,000 meters (58,000 feet).

Why is there a Chinese spy balloon in the U.S.?

According to many American sources familiar with the intelligence, U.S. intelligence authorities think the recently discovered Chinese spy balloon is part of a vast surveillance operation managed by the Chinese military.