Coverage dated February 4, 2023 to February 9, 2023

US says China balloon could collect intelligence signals

Headline from ABC 10 Sacramento, from the development of Feb 9, 2023

Newest development Feb 10, 2023 · 4 reportsChina balloon equipped to collect intelligence, says defense department

A U.S. State Dept. official says an analysis of the balloon debris was “inconsistent” with China’s explanation that it was a weather balloon that went off course.

ABC 10 Sacramento's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Earlier updates in this story

Developments in this update

3 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. Spy balloon part of a broader Chinese military surveillance operation, US intel sources say

    Headline from KRDO ·

  2. Names this update

    US says China balloon could collect intelligence signals

    Headline from ABC 10 Sacramento ·

  3. Newest

    China balloon equipped to collect intelligence, says defense department

    Headline from Fox7 Austin ·

2 reports not tied to one development ·

Read the reports

Reports & sources

90 articles, oldest first.

  1. Fox News

    Spy balloon likely sent extensive intelligence to China, experts say (opens Fox News)

    Published

    Fox News's feed description

    The Chinese spy balloon was likely able to send sensitive data to China before it was shot down by the U.S. military Saturday, foreign policy experts told Fox News Digital.

  2. Washington Examiner

    Spy balloon will give more intelligence to US than China, Senate Armed Services chairman says (opens Washington Examiner)

    Published

    Washington Examiner's feed description

    The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said he believes that President Joe Biden made the right call to follow senior military leaders' guidance against shooting the Chinese spy drone down over the United States.

  3. The Daily Caller

    Past Chinese Spy Balloons Were Classified As UFOs, Officials Say (opens The Daily Caller)

    Published

    The Daily Caller's feed description

    Previous Chinese spy balloons that traversed U.S. soil under the Trump administration were classified as UFOs.

  4. Washington Examiner

    Chinese spy balloons spotted over five continents a part of wider surveillance program, officials say (opens Washington Examiner)

    Published

    Washington Examiner's feed description

    Multiple spy balloons from China have reportedly been found over various countries, as officials reveal more information about the balloon that was spotted over the United States last week.

  5. Forbes

    Spy Balloon Part Of Worldwide Chinese Surveillance Program Meant To Evade Radar, Report Says (opens Forbes)

    Published

    Forbes's feed description

    China is believed to use balloons to evade radar detection and study military sites.

  6. Washington Times

    Chinese spy balloons targeted other countries, says White House (opens Washington Times)

    Published

    Washington Times's feed description

    The White House confirmed Wednesday that China has used balloons to spy on other countries, saying the devices have been spotted on five continents.

  7. ABC 17 Mid-Missouri

    Spy balloon part of a broader Chinese military surveillance operation, US intel sources say (opens ABC 17 Mid-Missouri)

    Published

    ABC 17 Mid-Missouri's feed description

    By Katie Bo Lillis, Jeremy Herb, Josh Campbell, Zachary Cohen, Kylie Atwood and Natasha Bertrand, CNN US intelligence officials believe that the recently recovered Chinese spy balloon is part of an extensive surveillance program run by the Chinese military, according to multiple American officials f…

  8. New York Times

    China Sends Spy Balloons Over Military Sites Worldwide, U.S. Officials Say (opens New York Times)

    Published

    New York Times's feed description

    The balloons have some advantages over the satellites that orbit the earth in regular patterns. They fly closer to earth and can evade radar.

  9. NBC4 Washington

    China Balloon Was Equipped to Collect Intelligence Signals, US Officials Say (opens NBC4 Washington)

    Published

    NBC4 Washington's feed description

    The China balloon shot down by the U.S. was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a huge, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted more than 40 countries, the Biden administration declared Thursday, citing imagery from American U-2 spy planes.

  10. Foxla

    Chinese spy balloon could collect intelligence signals, US says (opens Foxla)

    Published

    Foxla's feed description

    China’s balloon that crossed the United States was part of a huge, military-linked aerial spy program that targeted more than 40 countries, the Biden administration said Thursday.

  11. ABC 10 Sacramento

    US says China balloon could collect intelligence signals (opens ABC 10 Sacramento)

    Published

    ABC 10 Sacramento's feed description

    A U.S. State Dept. official says an analysis of the balloon debris was “inconsistent” with China’s explanation that it was a weather balloon that went off course.

  12. KTVZ Bend

    Chinese spy balloon contained technology to monitor communication signals, US says (opens KTVZ Bend)

    Published

    KTVZ Bend's feed description

    By Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood, Manu Raju, Jeremy Herb and Haley Britzky, CNN The Biden administration has determined that the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that traversed the United States last week was operating with electronic surveillance technology capable of monitoring US communica…

  13. Portland Press Herald

    U.S. says China balloon could collect intelligence signals (opens Portland Press Herald)

    Published

    Portland Press Herald's feed description

    Before the U.S. offered new information, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson repeated the nation's insistence the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had blown off course.

  14. CBS News

    Chinese balloons have been spotted over 5 continents as part of wider surveillance program (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    China's balloon program is "designed to augment" its surveillance abilities, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.

  15. CBS News

    Chinese spy balloon carried equipment to collect intelligence, U.S. says (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    The balloon had equipment that was "clearly for intelligence surveillance," according to a statement by a senior State Department official.

  16. Breitbart News

    State Dept. Says Chinese Spy Balloon Contained Tech to Monitor Comms Signals (opens Breitbart News)

    Published

    Breitbart News's feed description

    The Chinese spy balloon was outfitted with technology capable of collecting communications signals, a U.S. official said.

  17. Al Jazeera

    Chinese balloon was ‘clearly for intelligence surveillance’: US (opens Al Jazeera)

    Published

    Al Jazeera's feed description

    State Department says device had multiple antennas ‘likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications’.

  18. WMUR

    China spy balloon part of larger surveillance effort to collect intelligence signals, US officials say (opens WMUR)

    Published

    WMUR's feed description

    The military-linked aerial spy program targeted more than 40 countries, the Biden administration said on Thursday.

  19. Gizmodo

    FBI Finds New Information About Chinese Spy Balloon (opens Gizmodo)

    Published

    Gizmodo's feed description

    The State Department spokesperson said the balloon was capable of collecting communications and data via a satellite and had “multiple antennas.”

  20. New York Times

    Chinese Balloon Had Tools to Collect Communications Signals, U.S. Says (opens New York Times)

    Published

    New York Times's feed description

    China’s surveillance balloons have flown over more than 40 countries and are directed by the Chinese military, the State Department said.

  21. The Daily Caller

    Spy Balloon Contained Technology To Monitor Communications, Officials Say (opens The Daily Caller)

    Published

    The Daily Caller's feed description

    The spy balloon shot down on Feb. 4 contained technology capable of monitoring communications, officials in the Biden Administration announced Thursday.

  22. NBC News

    Chinese spy balloon carried 'multiple antennas' for collecting signals intelligence, State Dept. says (opens NBC News)

    Published

    NBC News's feed description

    According to an official, photos taken by high-altitude U-2 planes confirmed the presence of the equipment, and the balloon was made by a company linked to the Chinese military.

  23. Digital Journal

    Chinese balloon's equipment 'clearly' for spying: US official (opens Digital Journal)

    Published

    Digital Journal's feed description

    Detailed images taken by high-altitude U2s showed the balloon's equipment "was clearly for intelligence surveillance.

  24. Washington Times

    State Department: China has flown spy balloons over 40 countries (opens Washington Times)

    Published

    Washington Times's feed description

    The Chinese government has flown its fleet of spy balloons “over more than 40 countries across five continents,” according to a senior State Department official.

  25. France 24

    US says Chinese spy balloon part of aerial surveillance program targeting more than 40 countries (opens France 24)

    Published

    France 24's feed description

    The China balloon shot down by the U.S. was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a huge, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted more than 40 countries, the…

Showing the first 25 of 29 headlines. ·

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.

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