The U.S. military shot down a high altitude object over Alaska, according to National Security Council spokesman Adm. John Kirby.
“WH’s Kirby: The Pentagon was tracking a high altitude object at 40K feet over Alaska; out of abundance of caution President Biden ordered it to be downed. It came down within US territorial waters. Fighter aircraft took it down within the last hour.”
More:
“Kirby: “We’re calling this an ‘object’ because that’s the best description we have right now. We don’t know who owns it” – state, corporation or other entity. Recovery of debris expected. It was “roughly the size of a small car” with “no significant payload”…The object did not appear to have the maneuverable capability of the Chinese spy balloon. It was ordered downed over concerns it posed a reasonable threat to civilian flight, Kirby says”
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Kirby says the object was shot down over northern Alaska near the Canadian border on frozen water.
Kirby says the US does not know who owns the object.
VIDEO:
“Was its appearance like the Chinese aircraft?” NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell asked Kirby.
John Kirby: “No, it was — it was much, much smaller than the spy balloon that we took down last Saturday. The way it was described to me was roughly the size of a small car.”
VIDEO:
Kelly O’Donnell asked Kirby, “Is it now the policy…if unidentified aircraft are over U.S. territory that it is likely the President will…shoot it down?