Flying restrictions activated in Alaska after unidentified object shot down by US military

After  US F-22 fighter jet on Friday shot down an unidentified 'high-altitude object' with a missile in  skies of Deadhorse over Alaska,  Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed restrictions on planes flying around Prudhoe Bay and Kuparuk. A US Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft, a Combat King II, travelling at 170 mph was also spotted encircling and patrolling  area at an altitude of 3,225 feet.  purpose or origin of object that was detected 40,000 feet offshore near Deadhorse remains unclear. 

"We do t kw who owns it, wher it's state-owned or corporate-owned or privately owned," US National Security advisor John Kirby said at a briefing.

US President Joe Biden, in a televised remark to an American broadcaster, said that US military has shot down  “high-altitude object” hovering over Alaska on Friday, adding that it was “a success". decision ted US commander-in-chief was made in consultation with American national security officials. Biden clarified that his administration had sought  US military's approval to take action to shoot hovering object down.

TFR map over Alaska declared by FAA in a tice to TAM. Credit: FAA

TFR activated due to security concerns

Temporary Flight Restrictions [TFR] were activated due to security concerns, and air traffic is cut off from area presumably to protect aircraft avionics and electrical systems from being impacted. Global aviation experts, however, have speculated that US Air Force may have suspected a submarine in region. FAA maintains safety of  National Air System. "As with cars on road, re are rules that cover aircraft in sky to ensure safety. In special circumstances, FAA may temporarily restrict access to certain designated areas of our air, much, in same way, a city or state may block off access to a street when necessary," Federal Aviation Administration describes. Alaskan TFR was communicated to pilots through tices to Air Missions (TAMs). Here's tice issued by FAA to TAM:

Alaskan-based press is reporting that Alaska Airlines Flight 5131 flying for rth Slope was stopped at  Ted Stevens Anchor International Airport. Ar commercial jet flying from Anchor to Red Dog Mine was diverted to me before it was able to swing back to Red Dog near Kotzebue. On rmal days, planes fly a straight line from Anchor to Red Dog. 

US National Security Council Co-ordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby, at a presser, had detailed that unidentified object "was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet and posed a reasonable threat to safety of civilian flight." Ordinarily, Missile Defence ncy of US Department of Defense makes decisions to initiate restrictions to  airs if re are concerns about safety of  aviation traffic that could significantly affect aircraft flying in vicinity of impacted area. Kirby stressed that  unmanned downed craft was " size of a small car" much smaller than spy balloon. A TFR was activated along South Carolina coast as China spy balloon drifted with wind in said direction before it was shot down. 

“Out of an abundance of caution and at recommendation of Pentagon, President Biden ordered military to down object, and y did, and it came inside our territorial waters," Kirby ted at White House conference. 

incident comes in backdrop of US military recently shooting an unmanned Chinese airship that y described as “surveillance balloon" off of Myrtle Beach, SC over  state of Montana. Pentagon described spy balloon's presence in US air as an "incursion" that US (Department of Defence) failed to tackle with urgency in bringing it down. rth American Air Defense Command issued a statement on Twitter, saying that it “had detected and was tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is over continental United States right w”.