U.S. fighter jets have shot down four high-altitude objects in eight days.
According to Air Force General Glen VanHerck, the series of shootdowns was a first for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) over its 60-plus-year existence.
The shootdowns occurred in early February after the U.S. discovered an object that the government claimed was a spy balloon sent from China.
China has also accused the U.S. of flying surveillance balloons over its skies.
The other objects that have been shot down have yet to be identified but currently show no sign that connects them to China’s spy balloon.
The sudden increase in the frequency of their appearances has fostered speculation that the recent series of flying objects may actually be alien UFOs.
However, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that there was no indication of extraterrestrial activity at a press conference on February 13.
A spokesperson for the National Security Council explained that there are several types of aircraft that fly at those altitudes that pose no danger to the public. Among these can be objects used by a variety of different companies and research organizations.
According to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, Melissa Dalton, the sudden spike in discoveries of unidentified objects can be explained by improved radar techniques that came within the last year. Therefore, it’s possible that the flying objects are not new but the U.S. has just not been able to track them.
VanHerck stated that these new methods involve altering radar filtering systems so that they can detect slower-moving as well as smaller objects operating above a certain altitude.
Last weekend, VanHerck did not dismiss the possibility of extraterrestrials. “I haven’t ruled out anything. At this point, we continue to assess every threat or potential threats unknown that approaches North America with an attempt to identify it.”
