US Military Tracks Another High-Altitude Balloon Drifting West; Origin Unknown

The United States military has spotted another mysterious high altitude ballon flying over the western region, at least two US officials told American broadcaster, Friday. The balloon was spotted by a United States military aircraft drifting east in the jet stream. The origin and purpose of the balloon is not yet known. The military said that the balloon did not pose any danger to anyone either in the air or on the ground.

The balloon posed ‘no hazard’

The North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD, in a statement said that the object was a "small balloon" travelling and pushed in the wind at an altitude of between 43,000 and 45,000 feet (about 13.72 kilometers). United States government sent the fighter jets to intercept the airship over the state of Utah and "determined it was not manoeuvrable and did not present a threat to national security,” NORAD's statement read. 

“The balloon was intercepted by NORAD fighters over Utah, who determined it was not manoeuvrable and did not present a threat to national security. NORAD will continue to track and monitor the balloon. The FAA also determined the balloon posed no hazard to flight safety. NORAD remains in close coordination with the FAA to ensure flight safety."

As of late Friday, FAA "also determined the balloon posed no hazard" to passenger jets or other planes in the area.”

The US military has been closely watching and has been vigilant over the skies since the discovery of the Chinese spy balloon in February 2023. The balloon was found to be a weather research object that deviated its course, as per the Chinese foreign ministry. Pentagon, although, rejected those assertions, instead saying that the balloon was conducting surveillance for Beijing. 

Pentagon said in a statement that while the Chinese balloon had intelligence collecting capabilities, it did not collected any information before it was shot down. "We also took steps to mitigate the potential efforts of that balloon," Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said in June conference. The balloon flew from Alaska to the East Coast and was shot down over Atlantic Ocean.