US fighter jet shoots down object flying at 40,000 feet above Alaska

A U.S. military fighter jet shot down an unknown object flying off the remote northern coast of Alaska, Friday, on orders from President Joe Biden, according to White House officials. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the object was downed because it was flying at about 40,000 feet (13,000 meters) and posed a ''reasonable threat'' to the safety of civilian flights, not because of any knowledge that it was engaged in surveillance. Asked about the object's downing, Biden said only that ''it was a success.'' Kirby described the object as roughly the size of a small car, much smaller than the massive suspected Chinese spy balloon downed by an air force fighter jet off the coast of South Carolina after it transited over sensitive military sites across the continental U.S.

Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said an F-22 Raptor used an AIM-9X missile to bring down the object -- the same aircraft and munition used to target the alleged Chinese spy balloon.The incident took place amid a new alarm over what US officials say is an ongoing program by China to fly surveillance balloons to collect intelligence around the world.

WATCH | Moment when US fighter jet shoots down Chinese spy balloon
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.#US #China #ChineseSpyBalloon pic.twitter.com/ejulB7TpaP

— Nihal Shaikh (@nihalshaikh9881) February 5, 2023

The object flew over one of the most desolate places in the nation with a population of about 300 people. The object was picked up by the American radar around 9pm on Thursday (Alaska time). It was travelling at 20 to 10 miles per hour.