U.S. Tracking Possible Chinese Spy Balloon Last Seen Over Montana
February 2, 2023 4:44PM CST

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. says it is tracking a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that has been spotted over U.S. airspace for a couple days. The Pentagon decided not to shoot it down due to risks of harm for people on the ground. A senior defense official says the U.S. has “very high confidence” it is a Chinese high-altitude balloon, and says it was flying over sensitive sites to collect information. One of the places the balloon was spotted was Montana, which is home to one of the nation’s three nuclear missile silo fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.