China has said a suspected spy balloon that has been flying over the US is a 'civilian airship'. Professor Michael Clarke says it's thought to be carrying 'several kilos of surveillance equipment' and explains the significance of it flying over Montana.
The balloon is still in US airspace but officials declined to say where it is now.
They acknowledged it was operating above civilian air traffic and below"outer space", but declined to say how high it was flying. Military and defence leaders have considered shooting the balloon out of the sky but decided against it due to the safety risk from falling debris. US defence secretary Lloyd Austin convened a meeting of senior military and defence leaders to review the threat profile of the balloon and possible responses, which were presented to US PresidentPresident Biden, speaking at a White House conference about jobs, refused to answer questions on the topic.US tracks suspected Chinese balloonofficials"with urgency" and communicated the seriousness of the situation.
Pentagon press secretary Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said:"The United States government has detected and is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now."The balloon is currently travelling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground.
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