Air Force demonstrates ability to shoot down Chinese spy balloon-type objects

The operation took place a few months ago using a Rafale fighter jet under the Eastern Air Command's area of responsibility.

In Short

• Air Force shot down Chinese spy balloon-like target at 15 km altitude.
• Rafale jet used in Eastern Air Command's controlled exercise.
• Target had payload, shot with inventory missile over 55,000 feet

The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully shot down a Chinese spy balloon-like target flying at an altitude of over 15 kilometers. The training exercise took place a few months ago under the Eastern Air Command's area of responsibility, sources within the Defence establishment told India Today TV.

The operation involved a Rafale fighter jet, which engaged the high-altitude balloon in a controlled exercise. The target, though smaller than the spy balloon shot down by the US Air Force in early 2023, was released with a payload attached to it, and it was then shot down using an inventory missile at an altitude of over 55,000 feet, sources said.

After ascending to a height of over 15 kilometers, the balloon was neutralised, showcasing the capability of the Air Force to handle airborne threats.

The exercise came against the backdrop of growing concerns about Chinese surveillance activities using similar high-altitude balloons. In early 2023, the US Air Force famously downed a Chinese spy balloon that had drifted across North America for several days before being shot down off the coast of South Carolina by an F-22 fighter jet.

Subsequent sightings of similar balloons were reported shortly after the incident, raising alarms about the extent of China's surveillance capabilities.

Even in India, there have been reports of similar balloon sightings over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Although no immediate action was taken in that instance, as the balloon eventually drifted away after being observed for three to four days.

Experts believe that these balloons are equipped with some form of steering mechanism, allowing them to hover over areas of interest for prolonged periods.