Two years after the US authorities shot down a 200-foot-tall Chinese spy balloon, a shocking revelation had emerged regarding the technology loaded in the craft. Surprisingly, it was packed with US-made technology, says a report.
The craft, which travelled from Alaska in January 2023 and passed over Canada before re-entering the US Midwest, was shot down off the coast of South Carolina by an F-22 Raptor on February 4, 2023.
A Chinese spy balloon has been flying over the United States for a couple of days, U.S. officials said, one a defense expert estimates is equivalent to the size of three bus lengths https://t.co/BhcAHLUddz 1/5 pic.twitter.com/oMrJXNuwgz
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 3, 2023
Suspected of spying on Americans, the balloon was loaded with a satellite communication module, sensors and other technology from at least five US companies, according to insiders who spoke to Newsweek, citing a classified US military report.
The balloon weighing thousands of kilos was allegedly used to survey, captures images and gather intelligence data from the US, including military sites.
What US tech did Chinese balloon pack to spy on Americans?
The US military has shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina, a week after it entered US airspace.
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) February 5, 2023
The saga has raised tensions between Beijing and Washington DC ⤵️
🔗: https://t.co/6DjRFw2y2c pic.twitter.com/uuCtmOQJcB
The patented technology used in the balloon was awarded to researchers working at a Chinese military-affiliated institute, according to the report.
The satellite module and a communications system in the balloon were manufactured by Iridium, based in McLean, Virginia, some kilometres away from the CIA headquarters, the outlet said.
Other technology installed in the craft were made by California-based low-pressure sensor maker Amphenol All Sensors Corporation, Connecticut-based instrumentation firm Omega Engineering, Arizona-based semiconductor supplier firm Onsemi and Dallas-based semiconductor maker Texas Instruments.
Earlier, US North American Aerospace Defense Command had revealed that the spy balloon was loaded with explosives for self-destruction.
However, Chinese authorities maintained that the balloon was a weather research airship that went astray despite US agencies asserting that espionage was involved. It is not clear if China was able to collect intelligence date real-time.
