In an 'oops' moment, US officials have admitted that the pilot missed the first shot aimed at taking down the unidentified flying object over Lake Huron on Sunday. The US has been in a state of alarm since a huge white balloon from China was spotted tracking over a series of top-secret nuclear weapons sites.
In an 'oops' moment, US officials have admitted that the pilot missed the first shot aimed at taking down the unidentified flying object over Lake Huron on Sunday. The US has been in a state of alarm since a huge white balloon from China was spotted tracking over a series of top-secret nuclear weapons sites.
US officials admit the would-be ace needed a second shot with one of the air-to-air missiles, which cost at least $400,000 a pop when engaging the unidentified aerial object from an F-16 fighter.
US officials admit the would-be ace needed a second shot with one of the air-to-air missiles, which cost at least $400,000 a pop when engaging the unidentified aerial object from an F-16 fighter.
"We're aware that the first missile fired, that the one on Sunday, missed and it has been reported to us that it went directly into the lake," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
"We're aware that the first missile fired, that the one on Sunday, missed and it has been reported to us that it went directly into the lake," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
Currently, officials from US and Canada are scouring the remote area for remnants of the destroyed aerial targets.
Currently, officials from US and Canada are scouring the remote area for remnants of the destroyed aerial targets.
The US has been in a state of alarm since a huge white balloon from China was spotted tracking over a series of top-secret nuclear weapons sites, before being shot down just off the east coast on February 4.
The US has been in a state of alarm since a huge white balloon from China was spotted tracking over a series of top-secret nuclear weapons sites, before being shot down just off the east coast on February 4.
Subsequently, the US military detected three more objects in the past few days--one over Alaska, another over Canada, and the third over Lake Huron off Michigan.
Subsequently, the US military detected three more objects in the past few days--one over Alaska, another over Canada, and the third over Lake Huron off Michigan.
All three objects were shot down by the US military during the weekends.
All three objects were shot down by the US military during the weekends.
US's National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said they " haven't seen any indication or anything that points specifically to the idea that these three objects were part of (China's) spy balloon program or that they were definitely involved in external intelligence".
US's National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said they " haven't seen any indication or anything that points specifically to the idea that these three objects were part of (China's) spy balloon program or that they were definitely involved in external intelligence".
However, he also said earlier that China is running a "well-funded, deliberate program" to use high-altitude, hard-to-detect balloons for spying on the United States and other countries.
However, he also said earlier that China is running a "well-funded, deliberate program" to use high-altitude, hard-to-detect balloons for spying on the United States and other countries.
But whether the three latest objects downed were part of that will not be definitively known until the debris is analyzed.
But whether the three latest objects downed were part of that will not be definitively known until the debris is analyzed.
An inter-agency security review is underway, Kirby said, and in the meantime, there's no reason to expect a similar rate of drama. "I never said there was some sort of blanket policy, that we're just going to shoot things out of the sky."
An inter-agency security review is underway, Kirby said, and in the meantime, there's no reason to expect a similar rate of drama. "I never said there was some sort of blanket policy, that we're just going to shoot things out of the sky."
After Kirby's statement, Chinese authorities upped the ante by accusing Washington of sending its own spy balloons over their territory -- something US officials deny.
After Kirby's statement, Chinese authorities upped the ante by accusing Washington of sending its own spy balloons over their territory -- something US officials deny.