US Tracking Balloon Flying Over West, Poses No Security Threat: Military

‘The balloon was intercepted by NORAD fighters over Utah, who determined it was not maneuverable and did not present a threat to national security,’ NORAD said.

A U.S. Air Force pilot looked down at the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon as it hovered over the Central Continental United States February 3, 2023. Recovery efforts began shortly after the balloon was downed. Photo courtesy of the Department of Defense via Getty Images

U.S. military aircraft have intercepted an unidentified high-altitude balloon flying over the western continental United States, military officials have acknowledged.

Fighter aircraft continue to track the balloon over the western United States though it appears to pose no immediate threat, according to a statement from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the joint U.S.-Canada command responsible for overseeing North American airspace.