U.S. officials were forced to track, but not shoot down, a Chinese surveillance balloon that had been spotted traveling over U.S. airspace on Feb. 2, 2023, due to associated risks of harm for innocent people on the ground. At the time, Pentagon officials knew the balloon had antennas and solar panels to collect communications and that it was part of a much larger operation run by Chinese military to spy on over 40 countries across five continents.

This incident has caused lawmakers to demand more action and to question why the balloon was not shot down sooner. Using F-16s and F-35s, the U.S. was able to intercept the balloon before it entered American airspace, according to Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan. He expressed his frustration on the issue, sharing that he "chewed out" administration officials.

In response to the Chinese spy balloon, Senator Sullivan is