A senior CENTCOM official said the high-altitude balloons have posed no threat to troops, and he expressed interest in obtaining similar ones to fill gaps in the United States' intelligence collection
Chinese high-altitude balloons have flown over the Middle East in recent years, the top commander of US Air Force units in the region confirmed today, adding that he’d like to obtain similar technology to boost the US military’s own surveillance capabilities.
Speaking to a small group of reporters in Washington on Monday, Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, who oversees the Air Force component of US Central Command (CENTCOM), recalled two or three prior incidents in which US military officials had detected balloons, which he said were Chinese, over the Middle East.
Grynkewich initially described the objects as “surveillance balloons” before later saying he could not confirm their purpose. The Air Force general declined to give further details about the devices, citing classification.
“There have been high-altitude stratospheric balloons that have transited the region. They have not hung out over American bases or been any threat to our forces whatsoever,” he told reporters.
Source: Al Monitor