Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Feb. 5, 2023. (U.S. Fleet Forces)
February 09, 2023 Justin Cooper
Communications signals may have been intercepted by the Chinese spy balloon that flew over the U.S. for nearly a week before being shot down over the weekend, the State Department revealed Thursday.
Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recover a suspected Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., February 5, 2023.(U.S. Fleet Forces/U.S. Navy photo/Handout via Reuters)
February 7, 2023 7:50 PM
A suspected Chinese spy balloon that the U.S. military shot down off the Carolina coast last week was part of a larger surveillance program run by the Peopleās Liberation Army, according to a new report.
The program has collected information on military assets in a number of countries, including Japan, India, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines, U.S. officials reportedly told the Washington Post.
One official called the scheme a āmassive effortā by China using an āunbelievably old technologyā that it joined with āmodern communications and observation capabilitiesā in an effort to gather intelligence on other countriesā militaries.
The program has carried out dozens of missions since 2018, according to the report.
The balloons, which fly between 60,000 and 80,000 feet or higher, supplement Chinaās long-range surveillance efforts that are typically conducted via military satellite array.
The balloons are often equipped with electrooptical sensors or digital cameras that can sometimes capture highly precise images, according to the report. They also carry radio signal and satellite transmission capabilities. While the balloons donāt use the most cutting-edge technology, they can hover over a single target for hours, providing an advantage over satellites that may have just minutes to take a photo while they orbit.
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman briefed 150 people from roughly 40 embassies on the balloon program on Monday, according to the report. U.S. officials have started debriefing officials in countries that were similarly targeted by the surveillance scheme, including Japan.
Four balloons were seen above Hawaii, Florida, Texas and Guam in recent years, according to the report. While several former high-ranking Trump officials pushed back on the Biden administrationās recent claim that at least three Chinese spy balloons flew over the United States during the previous administration, officials have since said the balloons were only recently identified as Chinese surveillance airships.
The Navy is working to clean up the debris from the latest balloon, a 200-foot aerial object that was seen hovering over sensitive military facilities in Montana last week. A device roughly the size of a regional jet was affixed to the balloon, according to U.S. Northern Command head General Glen VanHerck.
The Pentagon first became aware of the balloon on January 28, when it entered U.S. airspace in Alaska. The Biden administration kept the discovery under wraps so as not to jeopardize Secretary of State Blinkenās planned trip to Beijing, Bloomberg reported. Blinken postponed the trip on Friday just hours before he was set to depart. Blinken and President Biden decided it was best to postpone the trip in light of the unfolding situation with the balloon, officials told the Associated Press.
While several Republican lawmakers called on the U.S. to shoot down the balloon earlier this week, including Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Ryan Zinke of Montana, the military waited to take down the balloon until it was over water off the coast of South Carolina due to concerns from the Pentagon that the action could cause civilian casualties if carried out elsewhere on the balloonās flight path.
Holy crap we have a LINK! Thank you sir! Now add a summary. Thatās the rules
Are you ever going to grow up? Maybe you can build a tent in your back yard and play Maxwell Smart - Sercret Agent, detroying KAOS with Agent 99. Be sure to send us a link and a summary of your exploits. 
OMG youāre to funny I canāt stop
Laughing lol
F off moron. Itās 2 separate articles, Obviously you read neither.
Why not follow the rules when @KVN logs in Shes going to delete all your stupid f ckin posts
Of rule breaking no link no summary
When does any moderator ever log in? If they did, they would put an end to your bullshitā¦lol.
THAT DOPEY PUNK 2ND GRADER HAS BEEN A LYING NUISANCE FROM DAY 1 !!!
What rule did I break?
I never said you broke any rules. You just act childishā¦ and you antagonize. You are the stick that pokes the eyeā¦ and you know exactly what you are doing.
Before this place was shut down a year or so ago, you were a good poster. Nowā¦ you just seem to revel in being abrasive and throwing shit on the wall to see what sticks.
I donāt mind exchanging good natured barbs with you, but you are starting to go off the rails. How about being a good poster again???
Iām
Just responding to attacks to my post, Iām like trump, Iām nice until you attack me, then I just destroy you. Itās natural for you to not side with the winner, my enemies are the under dog in this battle. I destroy them Iām the dynasty patriots , every one hats the winner. Lol
You arenāt destroying anyone except yourself. keep on keepinā onā¦lol.
I feel great about my position
Iām sure you do. Will you come back here after Trump loses to tell us how you will die on āthatā hill because a Democrap won in 24ā???
Lol we donāt have a country if trump doesnāt win lol
We donāt have one now. Whatās your point?
As you sit comfortable in your suburb lol
Yes, my suburbā¦lol. I live in a small city in NE Ohioā¦ in a 50 year old neighborhood with small/moderate size homesā¦ on streets that have needed re-paved for 20 years. Kiss my ass.
The same moron who advocates for people to move back to the cities.
Yeah right!