A Chinese spy balloon that crossed the U.S. earlier this year was equipped with American-made surveillance technology, according to The Wall Street Journal. The balloon, which was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean in February, carried sophisticated equipment for collecting audio-visual data. According to the Journal, U.S. officials believe the balloon collected data during its eight-day flight but did not transmit it back to China. - Debris analysis of the balloon revealed a combination of off-the-shelf U.S. gear, some for sale online, along with specialized Chinese sensors, according to unnamed U.S. officials.
- The gear was capable of capturing transmissible photos, videos, and other data, suggesting that the craft was for spying and not weather monitoring as claimed by China.
- The news contradicts a prior NBC News report that China was able to transmit the collected information in real time.
The Biden administration has chosen not to publicly share the findings of the investigation, prompting criticism from Congress. - Earlier this month, President Biden called the balloon "more embarrassing than it was intentional" for Chinese leadership.
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