Have you heard about the mysterious Chinese spy balloon that has been flying over the United States? It’s been a hot topic of discussion and speculation, but now FlightRadar24 has revealed the truth about the most-tracked aircraft in the world.
It turns out that the world’s most-tracked aircraft on FlightRadar24 was actually a standard high-altitude research tool from the United States. On Saturday, FlightRadar24 updated the aircraft’s label to clarify that it was a standard vessel under the control of the United States, writing: “Sorry, this is not a Chinese balloon.” At least 4,000 users followed every move of research balloon, named HBAL617, on FlightRadar24.
Chinese officials admitted that the balloon came from China, but insisted that it was a “civilian airship used for research” rather than a tool for surveillance. The United States has rejected this assertion, with the Pentagon’s press secretary, Brigadier General Pat Ryder, saying: “The fact is we know that it’s a surveillance balloon, and I’m not going to be able to be more specific than that.”
FlightRadar24 has confirmed that the aircraft was not a Chinese spy balloon, but rather a standard research tool from the United States. There has been pressure from certain members of Congress, as well as former president Donald Trump, to shoot down the Chinese balloon, but authorities say it’s not that simple — in part because fighter jets aren’t designed to target balloons.
So, it looks like the mystery of the Chinese spy balloon has been solved. It turns out it was just a standard research tool from the United States. We can all rest easy now!
Source: www.businessinsider.com