Pentagon Declines to Answer If It Shot Down $12 Balloon With $400,000 Missile

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times Header

The Pentagon is stonewalling inquiries as to whether one of the unidentified objects it shot down off the coast of Alaska earlier this month was a $12 dollar hobby balloon.

Speculation that the unidentified aerial object the administration shot down earlier this month was actually a cheap hobbyist pico balloon began to build this week after a group dedicated to the hobby reported one of its balloons โ€œmissing in actionโ€ over Alaska.

A blog post from the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade (NIBBB) recounted that it had lost contact with its hobby balloon on Feb. 11, and that it was last recorded at an altitude of about 39,000 feet off the coast of Alaska.

Pico balloons are small mylar balloons equipped with trackers that are used by hobbyists to measure weather patterns and can cost as little as $12.

The U.S. military shot down an unidentified object in the same general vicinity at an altitude of 40,000 feet on the same day using a $400,000 AIM-9X Sidewinder missile.

When asked whether that included a pico balloon or if the department had in any way followed up with the NIBBB, the Pentagon deflected.

โ€œWe have nothing to provide on this,โ€ a Department of Defense (DOD) spokesperson said in an email.

For its part, the NIBBB has said it is not unusual for such a balloon to go without transmission for some days at a time, and until remains from the balloon were collected, the assertion that the U.S. military shot it down was not verifiable.

โ€œAs has been widely reported, no part of the object shot down by the U.S. Air Force jet over the Yukon Territory has been recovered,โ€ the NIBBB said in a blog post.

โ€œUntil that happens and that object is confirmed to be an identifiable pico balloon, any assertions or claims that our balloon was involved in that incident are not supported by facts.โ€

Despite the Pentagonโ€™s recalcitrance to acknowledge the possibility it shot down the balloon, the White House is aware of the issue, according to U.S. National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby.

Byย Andrew Thornebrooke

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

250 Countdown

Those 56 intrepid men who signed put their very lives, honor and fortunes on the line. There was no auto-quill to accommodate their signatures.ย 

How the Senate Parliamentarian Changed the OBBB

An unelected bureaucrat does a important job in the U.S. Senate. Elizabeth MacDonough enforces senate rules on Trumpโ€™s โ€œOne Big Beautiful Billโ€.

Bioterror Roundup: CDC Director Nominee Is a Monster + New mRNA Pregnancy Studies

Bioterror Propaganda Roundup: The latest updates on the โ€œnew...

The Sacred Honor of the 56

Today we're celebrating the sacred honor of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Alligator Alcatraz: A Bold Step Toward Secure Borders

Alligator Alcatraz funded through FEMA, represents a decisive move by the Trump admin to address illegal immigration with efficiency and resolve.

New White House Faith Office Aims to Ensure US Is Beacon of Freedom for Others

The White House Faith Office wants to see the United States as the leader in advancing religious freedom, its faith director Jennifer Korn said.

Federal Reserve Rates Are Too High, Says Former World Bank Chief

Rates should be between 0.25 and 1.75 percent rather...

Newly Naturalized Citizens Say What American Freedom Means to Them

Nearly 820,000 people pledged allegiance to the United States and became naturalized citizens in 2024.

Noem Waives Environmental Restrictions to Fast-Track Water Barriers in Rio Grande

DHS Sec Kristi Noem waived federal environmental laws to fast-track construction of 17 miles of waterborne barriers in the Rio Grande in South Texas.

Trump Indicates Legislation for Hiring Illegal Aliens on Farms

Trump to allow illegal immigrants who work on farms to continue working to prevent unnecessary disruptions to farming across the country.

US Keeps Pressure on Chinese Goods Amid Vietnam Trade Deal

Transshippingโ€”rerouting goods through a third country to disguise the origin of the productsโ€”is a focal point of trade negotiations with Asian markets.

White House Report Reveals Top Earners, Staffers Working for No Salary

The Trump admin released its yearly report that shows the salaries for White House staffers, also revealing officials who arenโ€™t accepting salaries at all.

Transportation Secretary Urges Governors to Remove Political Messages From Crosswalks, Intersections

Duffy sent letters to governors, mayor of D.C., and gov of Puerto Rico urging them to remove political messaging from intersections and crosswalks.
spot_img

Related Articles