1/ The Chinese spy balloon carried antennas and sensors for collecting intelligence and communications. The Pentagon, State Department, and FBI said China’s military-led spy balloon program was part of an effort to surveil “more than 40 countries across five continents.” While still in the air, American U-2 flybys captured high-resolution images of the Chinese balloon showed is was equipped with “multiple antennas to include an array likely capable of collecting and geolocating communications,” which were “clearly for intelligence surveillance and inconsistent with the equipment on board weather balloons.” The manufacturer of the balloon has a direct relationship with the Chinese military. (Wall Street Journal / Washington Post / New York Times / Bloomberg)
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2023/02/09/day-751/