Last January the Biden administration knew about the Chinese spy balloon traversing across the continental United States, from Alaska to the Carolinas, but sought to conceal this from the American public.
A newspaper photographer first spotted the balloon over Montana.
The Chinese spy balloon first entered US airspace over Alaska in late January.
The balloon soared over nuclear silos and military installations across the US with Joe Biden’s full approval.
The balloon was shot down over the Atlantic just off the coast of the Carolinas.
According to the Pentagon, the spy balloon carried explosives to self-detonate, was 200 feet tall, and weighed thousands of pounds.
Earlier this week it was reported General Milley also knew the spy balloon was collecting data as it flew over the continental US but kept this from the American public.
Now this…
According to CNN, the Chinese spy balloon used US internet to communicate as is soared over the United States and gathered information.
CNN reported:
US intelligence agencies found that the Chinese surveillance balloon that transited the United States in early 2023 used an American internet service provider to send short, periodic transmissions of data related to navigation and location back to China, according to a US official.
This connection was one of the ways that the US was able to track its location and gather information on the balloon as it transited the United States, the source said.
CNN was not able to identify the internet service provider. CNN has previously reported that officials said the balloon was capable of communicating with Beijing as it traveled across the US.
NBC News first reported that the balloon used a US network to communicate with Beijing.
The network connection was not used to transmit intelligence back to China, according to the official. The balloon stored that information for later, including imagery and other data, which the US has since been able to study after shooting it down in February.
