Us jet shoots down 40,000-foot flying object over Alaska

U.S. officials said such balloons have flown into more than 40 countries, including at least four times before on the territory of the United States.

Washington : A US fighter jet shot down an unidentified object flying over Alaska on Friday, just six days after reports of an alleged Chinese spy balloon falling, creating a fresh diplomatic rift with Beijing, the White House said.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said it was unclear what the purpose or origin of the new object was, but it was brought down because it was a threat to civil aviation while flying at 40,000 feet.

"The president ordered the military to drop the object," Kirby said.

Asked about the incident by reporters at the White House, Biden said the shoot-down was "successful," Kirby said, adding that the object was much smaller than a giant Chinese balloon that crossed the United States last week and was shot down by a US fighter jet off the Atlantic coast on Saturday.

"It was almost the size of a small car. We don't know who owns it, whether owned by the state or by a corporate. We don't understand the whole purpose."

Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said an F-22 Raptor used an AIM-9X missile to bring down the object. This is the same aircraft and ammunition that was used to target the alleged Chinese spy balloon.

The incident comes amid a new alarm by US officials about China's ongoing program of flying surveillance balloons to collect intelligence around the world.

U.S. officials said such balloons have flown into more than 40 countries, including at least four times before on the territory of the United States.

The Chinese balloon caused particular concern last week as it exceeded areas where the United States places nuclear missiles in underground silos and bases strategic bombers.