Headline RoundupFebruary 15th, 2023

What is Known About the Four Objects Shot Down Over North America?

Summary from the AllSides News Team

The United States military shot down at least four objects inside U.S. and Canadian airspace in the past two weeks. While one object has been definitely linked to a Chinese surveillance program, questions surround the other three as authorities gather and inspect the debris.

Key Point: The sudden increase in downed objects is being commonly attributed to the U.S. military’s heightened awareness and increased scrutiny for intrusions on American airspace following the Chinese spy balloon.

What Are They? On Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told ABC News (Lean Left Bias) that the two objects shot down over Alaska and Canada were also balloons, but far smaller than the prior one linked to China. The object shot down Sunday over Lake Huron has not been identified as a balloon.

Why So Many Now? A Washington Examiner piece quoted an official at Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs stating, “In light of the People's Republic of China balloon that we took down last Saturday, we have been more closely scrutinizing our airspace at these altitudes, including enhancing our radar, which may at least partly explain the increase in objects that we've detected over the past week,” An NBC News article stated that the U.S. military is “looking at a wider range of radar data” to monitor North American airspace and is giving more attention to “smaller objects that it might have filtered out as clutter in the past,” citing information from U.S. defense officials.

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