Today’s image: Chinese balloon retrieval
Miliary.com reported via AP on February 7, 2022, that the U.S. Navy has used:
… underwater drones, warships and inflatable vessels [to carry out] an extensive operation to gather all of the pieces of the massive Chinese spy balloon a U.S. fighter jet shot down off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday.
In the newest images released by the Navy on Tuesday, sailors from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 are seen leaning over a rigid hull inflatable boat and pulling in broad swaths of the balloon’s white outer fabric and shell structure.
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Team reportedly taking precautions
The report said that the head of U.S. Northern Command, General Glen VanHerck, said on Monday, February 6, that the teams were taking precautions:
… to safeguard against the chance any part of the balloon was rigged with explosives.
The balloon was an estimated 200 feet (60 meters) tall and was carrying a long sensor package underneath, which VanHerck estimated was the size of a small regional jet.
The Navy is also using ships to map and scan the sea floor for all remaining parts of the balloon, so U.S. analysts can get a full picture of what types of sensors the Chinese were using and to better understand how the balloon was able to maneuver.
The balloon debris is scattered in waters that are about 50 feet (15 meters) deep, but stretch across an area 15 football fields long and 15 football fields across, VanHerck said.
Bottom line: The U.S. military used underwater drones, warships and inflatable vessels to try to retrieve all pieces of the Chinese balloon shot down off the U.S. coast on February 4, 2023. The balloon crossed high above the U.S. in early February, and was seen and photographed by many. Images of the retrieval here.
