American photographer Tyler Schlitt posted on Twitter a photo of a Chinese high-altitude reconnaissance balloon that the US military spotted a few days ago over the continental United States.
Now this “balloon” is floating over the state of Montana, where strategic facilities of the US Army are located, including Malmstrom Air Force Base, one of the three US Air Force bases that maintain and operates Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.
“Extremely close-up of a Chinese balloon flying over Washington, Missouri,” the photo is captioned.
Solar panels and some kind of payload under the balloon are visible.
One of the photographer’s followers processed the image and showed an “enhanced version” of it on his Twitter account.
Using meteorologists’ software with available information on weather conditions over the northern part of the United States, he made an assumption-prediction about the possible flight path of the balloon.
China’s Foreign Ministry has already said it “regrets” that an uncontrolled “civilian balloon” has entered US airspace. Beijing claims it was not a reconnaissance vehicle, but a climate probe.
It was decided not to shoot down the balloon because it “does not pose a direct threat”.
Amid such interference in US airspace, the White House canceled a visit to Beijing by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, which had already been agreed upon.
