Over the past months, an increasing number of balloons and other unidentified objects have been spotted within the airspace of the United States. While some have been spy balloons sent by the Chinese government, others have been unmanned drones or even civilian crafts mistaken for the prior. These crafts have been spotted within American airspace as well as inside other nations. While the threat of these mysterious crafts seems to be subsiding, the objects have made a large impact on America and other nations’ opinions of China and foreign spyware. 

The first-known spy balloon seen this year was off the coast of Alaska, near the Aleutian Islands. Over the next few days, it passed from Canadian airspace into American, where the first sign of media coverage began when the balloon was spotted above Montana. From February 3-4, it traveled the continental United States, across Kansas and Missouri, until it eventually arrived above South Carolina. At 2:39 p.m. an F-22 fighter jet ended the balloon’s journey with a missile. The craft sank to earth and landed in the territorial waters of the United States, just off the coast of South Carolina.

The balloon shot down over South Carolina has been the only confirmed Chinese spy balloon so far, although there have been sightings of other crafts across the United States as fears mounted over the balloon. The United States government has assured the public that the craft will be responded against with force for airspace violations, just as a different, octagon shaped object was shot down over Lake Huron. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is the organization that tries to identify incursions into US airspace. NORAD watches for airspace violations, and will radio the craft itself if possible, but has become more vigilant and careful as reports of other supposed Chinese crafts have been spotted.

 At the beginning of the encounters with these balloons, NORAD and other U.S. officials could not tell if the craft was used for spy and espionage purposes. Initial concerns were that the craft was a high altitude weather craft, but as more days passed it was clear something was up. After the South Carolina balloon was shot down, the FBI rushed to the scene to study and try to preserve as much of the craft as possible. The FBI has so far confirmed that the craft had electronic elements to it, with some parts having English writing while others having Chinese letters. This is all the information the FBI has released on its findings as of now, leaving many still in the dark as to the true purpose of this balloon. 

This is not the first time a balloon of this nature and design has been spotted. During the Trump Presidency, a total of three balloons were overlooked by the Pentagon. The Pentagon and other White House officials state that the craft was initially identified as Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon. While the United States has seen a lot of media coverage about its airspace violations, an estimated 40 other countries have had encounters with Chinese balloons similar to the ones seen in the US. While the United States seeks to find out more about the balloon, rumors have begun about potential sanctions against China over the violation and potential espionage.

Regardless of what happens next, it is needless to say that this issue will be a large talking point about the Biden administration. Whether anything more is found out about the balloon is hard to say, as the craft sustained damage in the fall after being shot down. The existence of the balloon alone has caused more and more suspicion and mistrust for both the Chinese government and the Biden administration, and only time will tell what both will do next.