National Security Crisis:Three Unidentified Objects Downed by NORAD Over Weekend

The national security crisis facing North America and its NATO members,the United States and Canada,that began with the Chinese surveillance balloon continued unabated over the weekend,resulting in a total of four downings by NORAD over an eight-day period.This post will cover the recovery of the Chinese balloon and the second downing.The recovery of the Chinese surveillance balloon,the first object,has been hindered by rough weather,but it is known that the balloon's surveillance package is intact,meaning a windfall for the Intelligence Community once it can be retrieved from the 46 ft. of water it lies beneath off South Carolina.The US Coast Guard is providing security for the recovery operation by US Navy divers,chasing journalists away.The wreckage is being flown to the FBI lab on the Quantico Marine Corps Base,Virginia for analysis.* The second downing,of a car-sized object,took place over the Beaufort Sea near Deadhorse,Alaska.The Beaufort Sea is frozen over,so it means recovery of the object from a solid surface.F-35A Lightning II fighters were sent up from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson,Alaska to examone the craft.One of the F-35 pilots said the object was interfering with the fighter's sensors.If so,a record of that could be retrieved from the warplane's electronics.Another F-35 pilot said the craft showed no discernible means of propulsion. An F-22 Raptor fighter jet shot the object down at 40,000 ft. with an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile.Responding to the wreckage was an AK-66 Pavehawk helicopter,perhaps with the Air Force Special Operations Forces who customarily fly it.An HC-130 Hercules aircraft also responded to the scene.It is able to land on ice,being equipped with retractable skis.Harsh wintry conditions of -21F in the recovery zone have slowed the recovery process down.* Two other downings occurred on Saturday over Canada's Yukon Territory,and on Sunday over Northern Lake Huron,Michigan.*