Chinese spy balloon did not collect data when it flew over U.S.: Pentagon

At the time a Chinese balloon was flying over the mainland U.S., Pentagon officials took steps to protect sensitive information from being viewed or captured.

The Pentagon has assessed the suspected Chinese spy balloon that flew over Canada and the mainland United States early this year did not collect any information during its voyage, the U.S. Defense Department’s spokesperson said Thursday.

Press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that although the balloon had “information collection capabilities” that could have also transmitted sensitive materials to Beijing, it appears no data was actually gathered.

“It has been our assessment now that it did not collect (information) while it was transiting the United States,” he told reporters.

At the time the balloon was flying over the mainland U.S., Pentagon officials took steps to protect sensitive information from being viewed or captured by the balloon.

“We believe that it did not collect while it was transiting the United States or flying over the United States, and certainly the efforts we made contributed (to that),” Ryder added.

The balloon entered North American airspace in late January, flying across Alaska and then over Yukon and central British Columbia before crossing into the mainland U.S. in early February.

It then transited across several states before U.S. President Joe Biden ordered military jets to shoot the balloon down off the coast of the Carolinas on Feb. 4. Debris was then collected and analysed by U.S. agencies, including the Pentagon and the CIA, to determine if any data was collected or transmitted to China.

The Canadian government, which also took steps to protect sensitive information, has not said if any data was gathered when the balloon flew over western Canada, referring to the U.S.-led investigation. Global News has reached out to the Department of National Defence for comment on the Pentagon’s latest assessment.