Surveillance Balloon

Surveillance balloons are airborne devices used for reconnaissance purposes. Although their use has declined in recent years due to the rise of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and satellites, they are still used by some countries, such as the United States and China. On February 4, a US fighter jet shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon flying in US airspace, causing diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

Why do governments use surveillance balloons?

In the age of satellites, surveillance balloons offer close-range monitoring. The balloons are typically advanced devices equipped with high-tech imaging gear and can be capable of “gathering electronic signals” and intercepting communications. According to Iain Boyd, a professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder, the balloons can take clearer images than the lowest orbiting satellites due to their lower altitude, which is about the same height as commercial airlines fly.

What has the US said about the Chinese balloon?

US officials have confirmed that the Chinese balloon was a surveillance device and that it was flying in US airspace north of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. They have said that the balloon was seeking to monitor sensitive military sites and that it did not pose a threat to civilians or property on the ground. The balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina with a single air-to-air missile fired by an F-22 fighter jet, and the US Navy is leading efforts to recover the wreckage for further analysis.

History of surveillance balloons

Surveillance balloons have a long history dating back to the 1800s, with crewed and tethered balloons used for surveillance during the Franco-Austrian war in 1859 and the US Civil War. They became more common during World War I and II, with the Japanese military using balloons to loft incendiary bombs into US territory during the latter war. In recent years, foreign balloons entering US airspace has been relatively common, with the US observing at least three Chinese surveillance balloons transiting the continental United States during the administration of former President Donald Trump.

The recent incident involving a Chinese surveillance balloon shot down by the US has drawn attention to the role of such devices in modern espionage. While they may seem like outdated technology, surveillance balloons still offer close-range monitoring capabilities and can be used to gather electronic signals and intercept communications. The history of surveillance balloons dates back to the 1800s and they have been used in conflicts throughout the years, making them a significant part of the world’s military history.