The recent UFO sightings dating from January 28, 2023, to February 4, 2023, have caused concern with the lack of proper communication from the Biden administration.

January 28, 2023

U.S. airspace detected the UFO North of the Aleutian Islands over Alaska. U.S. aerospace defense command tracked the now-identified balloon. After assessing the UFO it was clear it served as no threat.

January 30, 2023

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (aka NORAD), continues to track the balloon and confirms it is a spy balloon. “The balloon is caring surveillance gear as well as a payload”, states Gen. Pat Ryder from the U.S. Department of Defense. According to CBS News, “ officials said were carrying surveillance equipment the size of two of three school buses.” The balloon crossed over into Canadian airspace.

January 31, 2023

The balloon re-enters U.S. airspace over northern Idaho. Joe Biden is alerted by the Defense Department which begins the discussion of a shootdown. The balloon did not return toward any large bodies of water which could cause room for casualties. Precautions are taken by the Pentagon to not allow the spy balloon from receiving any important intel or sensitive information.

February 1, 2023

The balloon travels to Montana where Malmstorn Air Force Base is located causing the Pentagon to be troubled about what might happen. Billings Logan International Airport grounded all flights for 2 hours as authorities debated their course of action. The F-22 fighter stands by ready for the order to shoot down. Joint Chiefs Chair General Mark Milley and U.S Northern Command Chiefif General Glen VanHerck recommend against an immediate shootdown due to the risk of civilian casualties. Biden ordered options on what course of action to take and to gain more information about the balloon’s capabilities. 

February 2, 2023

Pentagon begins issuing statements to the public. The backlash began to rise from Biden’s decision to not on shooting down the spy balloon. A second balloon was spotted over Central and South America. ¨ We are seeing reports of a balloon transiting Latin America. We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon,¨ said, Chief Pentagon spokesperson Brig. General Patrick Ryder. 

February 3, 2023

Chinese Foreign Ministry releases a statement claiming the balloon to be a weather data collecting balloon. Claiming it was an accidental incident followed by an apology. U.S. officials refuted this claim due to the information gathered from its observance of the balloon over the past couple of days making it clear that U.S officials believe it is used for surveillance. Bden approves the plan to shoot down the balloon on Feb.4 over Wilmington, North Carolina. 

February 4, 2023

The FAA Grounds flights at Wilmington,  Myrtle Beach, and Charleston, South Carolina allowed the F-22 fighter in Langley Airforce Base, Virginia, and other aircrafts to stray positions. The F-22 shoots an Aim-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missile to take down the balloon at 58,000 feet while the balloon flew at 60-65 thousand feet. The recovery of the balloon began with a search of six nautical miles off the coast with a search of 47 feet of water. Cruiser Philippine Sea, the destroyer USS Oscar Austin and the USS Carter Hall aided recovery. China issued a statement claiming a violation of international practice and threatened the U.S. Beijing and the U.S. government discussed the mission. DoD official stated, “[…]its intrusion of our airspace for multiple days was an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty.”

Has this happened before?

Yes, this has actually happened four times in the past years. ¨According to U.S officials, Chinese balloons crossed over the U.S  at least three times during the Trump administration and at least one other time earlier in the Biden administration,¨ states npr.org.