NBC: downed Chinese balloon collected data from US military installations

Downed off the coast of South Carolina on February 4, a Chinese balloon was able to collect data from some military installations in the United States. This was reported by the NBC channel, citing two high-ranking officials, as well as one ex-representative of the US administration.

According to the channel, the control of the balloon came from China. He flew over a number of objects several times and sent data to Beijing in real time.

NBC sources emphasize that the balloon, most likely, did not transmit images, but electronic signals, which, presumably, it could collect from the communications systems of personnel of objects or weapons systems.

Recall, the US military on February 2 reported that they had been tracking a Chinese reconnaissance balloon over the north of the country for several days. Two days later, the balloon was shot down with an air-to-air missile. The wreckage of the ball was brought to the Pentagon and the FBI.

A few days later, on February 10, another balloon appeared in the sky over Alaska, it was also shot down. It was not possible to establish the belonging and purpose of the ball to the American military.

The next day, an unidentified aircraft was shot down on the border with Canada. Canada’s defense minister said he threatened civil aviation.

At the same time, the Pentagon refuses to declassify data on downed objects.