U.S. fighter aircraft shot down a “high altitude object” in U.S. airspace near Alaska on Friday afternoon, the White House confirmed.
U.S. fighter aircraft shot down an unmanned “high altitude object” in U.S. airspace off the northern coast of Alaska on Friday afternoon, White House and Pentagon officials said.
“The object was flying at an altitude of 40,000 feet and posed a reasonable threat to the safety of civilian flight,” he said. “Out of an abundance of caution, and at the recommendation of the Pentagon, President Biden ordered the military to down the object.” “Civilian aircraft operate at a variety of ranges up to 40,000 to 45,000 feet, so there was a reasonable concern this represented a threat or a potential hazard” to air traffic, he said.
The Biden administration has faced withering criticism for allowing the spy balloon to travel across the entire U.S. before shooting it down off the Atlantic coast. Officials said they waited until the craft could be shot down without posing a threat to civilians on the ground. Critics say the decision to wait so long showed weakness and sent a signal to Beijing that America will allow a foreign craft to travel through its airspace.
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