Top-secret intelligence documents allegedly leaked by Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira reveal that U.S. intelligence agencies were aware of up to four more Chinese spy balloons in addition to the one that flew over the country earlier this year. The balloons were named after notorious criminals, including Tony Accardo, James 'Whitey' Bulger, and Donald Killeen.
The downed balloon was also revealed to carry sophisticated reconnaissance capabilities, including radar that could see at night and penetrate clouds, topsoil and other thin materials. The intelligence collected was mostly from electronic signals rather than images. China previously claimed that the balloon was a civilian weather balloon that strayed off course.
The documents also note that the Chinese government was likely not expecting the balloon to fly into U.K. airspace. President Joe Biden was briefed two days later and elected to shoot it down over the Atlantic on February 4th.
A report from Pentagon has revealed there are up to four additional Chinese spy balloons noted by U.S. intelligence in a recent trove of leaked classified Pentagon documents.
The Chinese spy balloon spotted in U.N airspace referred as "Killeen-23," carried an array of sensors and antennas which remained unidentified even more than a week after it went down.The other ballooon carried similar equipment with a “foil-lined gimbaled” sensor.
According to these leaked documents there is lack of "strong senior" oversight of the ballooon surveillance program leading many experts believeing that invasion into UK airspace may have caught some members within China's government by surprise as well.
The Killean-23 balloon caught public attention after flying over or near military installations in Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri sparking concern among US officials regarding potential espionage activities conducted through such means