U.S. News
US general: Past and current administrations failed to detect other spy balloons
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- A general from the U.S. Air Force said that there were previous spy balloons that were not detected.
- Pentagon officials said that there were at least three Chinese spy balloons during the Trump administration.
- The official said that the military failed to detect the previous balloons due to a “a domain awareness gap.”
Air Force General Glen VanHerck said on Monday that there have been previous spy balloons that were not detected due to an “awareness gap.”
The Chinese spy balloon that appeared over the United States on Jan. 28 has since been shot down, and the U.S. Navy has been working on collecting all debris for intelligence purposes.
Over the weekend, the Pentagon confirmed that Chinese spy balloons have previously flown briefly over the U.S. at least three times during former President Donald Trump’s administration and once under President Joe Biden.
VanHerck, who heads the U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command and Northern Command, said that the previous flights were discovered after the fact using “additional means of collection” of intelligence.
He did not provide further information, including what intelligence methods were used or where in the U.S. they flew over.
The general said, “I will tell you that we did not detect those threats, and that’s a domain awareness gap.”
Senior U.S. officials have offered to provide more information to members of the previous administration.
Rep. Michael Waltz of the House intelligence committee said that the Pentagon told him that there have been several Chinese balloon incidents over the past few years.
VanHerck said that the latest balloon was 200 feet (60 meters) tall and had a payload of over a couple thousand pounds. It was shot down off the South Carolina coast on Saturday, a week after it first entered U.S. airspace.
He said he did not rule out the possibility of it carrying explosives, but added that there was no proof of it yet. That risk factored into the plans of shooting it down over open water.
Several fighter and refueling aircraft were deployed but a single F-22 fighter jet from Langley Air Force Base in Virginia took the shot at 2:39 p.m. (1939 GMT), using a single AIM-9X supersonic, heat-seeking, air-to-air missile.
On Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard imposed a temporary security zone in the waters off Surfside Beach, South Carolina, where the balloon was shot down. Several military vessels helped in gathering debris from an area of about 1,500 meters (4,920 feet) by 1,500 meters.
Officials have yet to disclose the status of the balloon’s payload, which determines whether the operation was a success for intelligence purposes.
Source: Reuters
EUGENE ORMOND
February 8, 2023 at 6:44 am
I say bullshit to that General. You can try all you want to defend Biden. It never happen. If it did you should be fired and all of your staff for gross neglect. But since you voted socialist nothing will happen as you are covered by the China Puppet and his son.
Dale
February 8, 2023 at 10:18 am
Hear. Hear.
peashooter
February 8, 2023 at 6:57 am
chinese gotta be filled w/glee for all the dirt they got on hunter biden and daddy, too. They,the chinese, have total control of our country. biden will do as he`s told, or else.
John W.
February 8, 2023 at 7:06 am
What does “domain awareness gap” mean, General VanHerck? You need to explain what you mean and why you failed your mission. It looks like you are preoccupied in trying implement Biden’s WOKE agenda and lost sight of the bubble. It’s time for you to resign!!!!
billi
February 8, 2023 at 8:58 am
Its quite funny they find ,today >> there were intrusions under President Trump bubt they weren’t good enough to find them then. What a bunch of liars and crooks.
CharlieSeattle
February 8, 2023 at 4:03 pm
“domain awareness gap” …means “”Duh, we were not looking.””
Ray
February 8, 2023 at 7:13 am
Thanks to the generals comments, the world once again gets a good laugh at the United States. A superpower that can’t even defend it’s own airspace! If what the general says is true, spy balloons probably have been flying over United States for many many years.
Dan "Oil Patch"McGrew
February 8, 2023 at 8:27 am
Some political extremists need to consider facts before hurling baseless slurs.
FACT — Under five GOP administrations, China replaced American manufacturing and workers.
FACT –There has been little profit for businesses with GOP ties in improving detection systems for high-altitude balloons. Thus, at no time was there any GOP interest in developing that detection system. Once President Biden learned of the balloons, he ordered the development of detection systems, with the result this last balloon was shot down where it would not harm Americans, and where a SOFT WATER LANDING would preserve the equipment in shallow U.S. water.
FACT — Cadet Bone Spurs knew of the balloons — did nothing.
FACT — Electronics’ “Chip” production is returning to the U.S. from China under Biden. Major production plants, coast to coast, will be producing most of this nation’s needs, not the less than 10% Cadet Bone Spurs left us with.
FACT — There have been more petroleum and natural gas leases issued for federal lands in Biden’s first two years, than in all of Cadet Bone Spurs’ term.
FACT — Total failure of Cadet Bone Spurs’ military-based covid vaccine distribution was replaced within days of Biden taking office. PRIVATE ENTERPRISE was called in and got the job done quickly and efficiently. As fast as the vaccine could be produced by three companies.
FACT — The national rebuilding of infrastructure will be done only with U.S.-produced materials. No offshore steel, lumber, cement, glass, or any other material.
FACT — Biden is WORKING to fulfill the duties of the office, not USING FORCE TO DISPERSE PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS and stopping traffic on Pennsylvania Ave. to pose for photos, holding a bible overhead — UPSIDE DOWN.
FACT — WORKING QUIETLY, without daily mugging the camera with smartass smirking as did Cadet Bone Spurs, PRESIDENT BIDEN has negotiated the passage of nearly 400 bipartisan bills, which he signed. There have been few vetoes required. None with photo-op grandstanding.
FACT — No Biden family members or relatives have been occupying White House offices, profiting from White House perks. Hunter Biden has been a successful international law attorney specialist for decades. He has had legal clients in most developed nations and many third-world nations. It is not unusual, in fact rather common, for top lawyers to accept corporate stock as part of their fee.
Bernie Wilburn
February 8, 2023 at 9:12 am
Just because you say FACT does not make it true. I guess you using the liberal socialist dictionary. Also, calling people names dilutes any shred of credibility you may have. Many of your FACTS are equal to the Inflation Reduction Act – sounds good but did just the opposite.
Marketingman
February 8, 2023 at 10:14 am
Wow
A lot of Kool Aid in those veins. Trump’s personality/demeanor was not Presidential, but most of his policies were spot on for America and the MAJORITY of American citizens. You can’t please everyone and quite frankly the laws must favor the majority. I’m sorry It is what it is. Just a lot of Trump haters like Hillary haters.
Interesting you did not address BLM and their rioting and destruction and corruption within their own organization. Tearing down statues ETC.ETC. Crime rampant in the big liberal cities. Why do you think California, New York, New Jersey are evaluating an exit tax for those leaving their states. The Magnificent Mile in Chicago is a shell. School systems teaching god knows what, definitely not what our kids will need to compete in the world economy. Inflation at a 40 year high, interest rates climbing every month. Groceries out of sight, gas still up over a 1.50 a gallon.
You can issue as many oil & gas leases as you want but if you put so many regulations and EPA stipulations that it costs a fortune to drill, why would they want to invest. Why invest when the Whitehouse and the individuals calling the shots hate oil and gas. I like to see our military operate an F22 with a battery! Do you know what it takes to mine the minerals for all these EV’s and the destruction to the earth. By the way, China owns the majority of these minerals. The grids can’t handle what’s needed now. Hybrids are a better solution.
Border totally out of control, drugs crossing these same borders killing 100,000 plus US citizens a year. 5 million illegals crossing the borders illegally in two years. The most in History. 300,000 plus adolescents, and about 10% of those are missing and unaccounted for, probably used in the sex trade. Cartels making money on each and every person crossing into the US; 1.7 MILLION released into our cities and towns, 1.1 million GOTAWAYS,
Do you know what we are spending to house, feed, cloth these illegals? Do you know what it’s costing to support them medically? It’s all a staggering figure.
Fake Russia BS and Hillary and her team was found culpable, Hunters laptop fake/WRONG! The Biden financial ties to China and Ukraine proven fact they have made millions. Horribly planned evacuation of Afghanistan- Biden said Taliban had no chance of taking over- they did it in less than 30 days. Males identifying as women using the same restrooms as our daughters. We’ve had two rapes locally by these individuals. Many more are going unreported. Biden has been the most divisional President – he has not crossed the aisle on anything until now because the GOP has the House. The Democratic strategy of tax and spend has been proven time and time again to drive up inflation. What is the definition of insanity; doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
We have a very unsafe world under his leadership. FACT!
He sounded like a Republican last night (two years from elections) and half the time he slurred speech. He is old, has dementia and needs to retire! My father had dementia, I’ve seen that movie before.
I could go on all day. Just understand there are two sides to every story and most Democrats are in the basement with BRANDON watching ABC, NBC, CBS. Diversify your education and see both sides. Those Bipartisan bills you talk about. That is BS – It’s easy to pass bills when you have the House and the Senate. He does not even know what he is signing half the time. Did you see the stack of Bills on his desk the first day in the Oval Office. He signed them all and had no clue what most were about. I’ll tell what they were about because I have first hand information. Those bills made most of his big financial contributors a lot of money. It was pay back! FACT!!!!!!
PAMELA
February 8, 2023 at 12:38 pm
This is the BEST SUMMARY of the Biden presidency’s failures I’ve seen. And it didn’t include everything! Like the halting of the pipeline that would have made us energy independent. Instead we are going to our enemies and tapping into our small resourses kept in reserve for war. Pray that God will intervene on our behalf. And if you don’t believe in God, there is no hope left for our country. Will judgement come in the form of an EMP, an attack by China or other enemies, or complete economic collapse? May we repent of the sin in our country so that God will give us longer to live in peace.
Gary Keeler
February 8, 2023 at 10:24 am
Poor ole indoctrinated Dummycrap Dan”oil patch”(ba ha haaa)..stoll blabbering his lies and unfounded dumnycrap garbage that he’s been spoon fed all his pathetic life…
News flash: clinton started it…..the RINOS..big george and little george….barry sotero(odumma)….and now this boughtn paid for bt the ccp, lying,thieving,spineless pervert moron biden is dragging us right back into their deep state craphole…where nimeits like”oil patch”(ba ha haaa) just love to be with their commie “handlers.” Pathetic loser
James Horton
February 8, 2023 at 1:19 pm
Mr. McGrew did Mr. Biden or his son benefit from the University of Pennsylvania receiing millions from China?
David Thomas
February 8, 2023 at 10:32 pm
FACT You are totally unbelievable. You are obviously so biased you can’t see the past your rose tinted glasses. Com’on man.
Anthony
February 8, 2023 at 11:29 pm
Total bull shit is what I’m hearing man can’t even remember his name and you say he’s done all this crock of shit . Not him maybe some of his slime ball administrators did so . And you’re saying hunter Biden and any one in the family profited total garbage tell me about the Chinese contact hunter got from China ? You can’t say that nobody in the family has profited lie lie lie. And Biden opened the gates of hell anyone can just come right in and demand money cars tax pay outs are you kidding me these people are coming her taking all the resources and tell me smart ass what about the people of the United States that walk the street the homeless the Veterans people who did contribute not these Mexican immigrants they deserve nothing and what do we do give them everything hell even homes to live Biden is a garbage just the lying house speaker most inconsiderate Pelosi and her husband both alcoholics I would have fired her the second she tore up that speech she got a lesson to learn and I hope it’s a terrible one disrespectful I wouldn’t throw her a line if she was drowning and then we have this little spending by are idiots more money put in their pockets while the nation that they started this Covid Bs and this country has gone nowhere but down China is building up their army and what do we do we down size . Bet we get into war with China it’s coming their already looking for week points and are government is f blind just like Pearl Harbor guess what it’s going to happen again but at a bigger way and America will just surrender because are so called joke president and his cronies wouldn’t have a clue until it’s to late . I’m thinking a nuke parked right out side the White House take care so all the thefts and back stabbing lies get rid of them all not a one of them is worth a nickel.
Bluefish123
February 9, 2023 at 6:58 pm
Haven’t read this much bullshit in a long time. Thanks for the laugh. Your fact is fiction.
hank
February 8, 2023 at 9:10 am
We all know that the balloon was being used to chart wind pattern to find out the effect of nuclear fallout,
William Booth
February 8, 2023 at 9:45 am
MORON….GO drink some more kool-aid like a good comrade!
American
February 8, 2023 at 11:26 am
If previous spy balloons were not detected, how does he know there were previous spy balloons?
David Dutra
February 8, 2023 at 1:26 pm
OTS CRAZY HOW BOTH SIDES OF THE ISLE DO NOTHING BUT DEMONIZE EACHOTHER AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY.
BOTH SIDES ADMIT TGAT THEY DO ALOT OF THINGS WRONG AND IN THE SAME SENTENCE POINT THEIR FINGERS AT EACHOTER OTHER WHILE CLAIMING THE OTHER SIDE DID THE SAME WRING ; BUT WORSE !!!
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT GOT US INTO THIS MESS TO BEGIN WITH… VOTING FOR THE LESSER IF THESE 2 EXTREME IDIOT IDEALS AND THEIR MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY ATTITUDES AGAIN WILL DO NOTHING BUR CONTINUE THE FAILURE TO REUNITE AND NEGOTIATE ON ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING…
WE “ALL” DESERVE MUCH BETTER, LESS EXTREME AND MORE TRANSPARENT THAN THE 2 (ALREADY FAILED) OPTIONS WEVE GOT NOW…
Ray
February 8, 2023 at 1:52 pm
Failure to disclose existence of these balloons to the president by military sefdec is mutiny punishable by firing squad. Time to investigate.
CharlieSeattle
February 8, 2023 at 3:59 pm
The lying and incompetent DOD Top BrASS is complicit in treason with the Quid Pro Joe Xiden administration.
Paul Fico
February 11, 2023 at 1:21 pm
They complained about Trump, and then they brought this major incompetent crime family into the White House. Democrats need to step aside or be crushed like the infestation that they are.