FLYING MENACE

Chinese Spy Balloon Snooped on Several U.S. Military Sites: Report

Most of the intelligence gathered was from electronic signals rather than images, sources say.

The Chinese spy balloon that was blasted out of the skies over the U.S. in February was able to collect intelligence from multiple sensitive military installations, according to a report. Unnamed officials cited by NBC News said attempts were made by the Biden administration to block the balloon’s snooping but that it was sending intelligence back to Beijing in real time before it was destroyed. Chinese spies were even allegedly able to control the balloon so that it could make several passes over the same site, mostly intercepting electronic signals like those sent by weapons systems or base personnel communications rather than relying on images. The sources said the balloon would have hoovered up even more intel were it not for the administration’s efforts to thwart the operation by moving possible targets.