A leaked report from The Washington Post has exposed that U.S. intelligence agencies were aware of the existence of multiple Chinese spy balloons beyond the one that traveled across the United States in January and February this year. According to a document allegedly leaked by Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, officials had knowledge about as many as four other Chinese spy balloons.
The balloon that crossed over the continental US earlier this year was code-named Killeen-23. Despite shooting it down in the Atlantic Ocean on February 4th, questions remained about its unidentified sensors and antennas more than a week after recovery. Authorities also found sophisticated reconnaissance capabilities within Killeen-23, such as radar capable of seeing at night and penetrating clouds, topsoil, and thin materials.
In addition to Killeen-23, two other balloons - Bulger-21 and Accardo-21 - were mentioned in the leaked documents; however, their specific roles or flight paths remain unclear. Bulger-21 reportedly circumnavigated Earth from December 2021 until May 2022.
As for further information on these balloons' capabilities or intentions, specific details have yet to be released. The Defense Department and Office of the Director of National Intelligence declined to comment on The Washington Post's findings.
Regarding potential risks posed by these floating crafts during their flights over American soil, an unnamed administration official stated: "We took steps to limit [Killeen-23]'s capabilities while flying and wanted to avoid potentially harming anyone on the ground with falling debris."
The FBI agent who leaked these classified defense records is now facing charges for unlawfully copying and transmitting sensitive information related to national security matters.
Despite ongoing investigations into both leaking sources involved in revealing this story – Jack Teixeira (Massachusetts Air National Guardsman) & an undisclosed FBI agent – the public remains concerned about the potential threats posed by foreign spy balloons and their unknown capabilities.
As this story unfolds, further analysis into these Chinese spy balloons' purpose and intentions will be critical in understanding their potential impact on national security.