loading…
A US satellite company captures a spy blimp at a Chinese military base. Photos/Insiders
WASHINGTON – A company United States satellite (US) image capture from Chinese hot air balloon at a military base in the northeast of the country. This signals a significant upgrade in China’s aircraft program.
The image was taken by private satellite company BlackSky, and was published this week. The image shows the blimp, which is believed to be about 100 feet long, over the runway of a military base in China’s northeastern Xinjiang Province.
Aerospace experts who analyzed the images for CNN said they showed runways and other features indicating the base was capable of launching airships. The images also show a large hangar, believed to be around 900 feet long, which could have been used to accommodate larger airships.
The image was reportedly taken in November 2022, months before the US shot down what it claimed was a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina in April.
The White House said the balloon had been used to monitor US military sites, although China rejected the claim and said it was used for peaceful purposes.
After the balloon crash, US warplanes shot several more mysterious objects from the skies over North America, though some were later revealed to have been hobbyist balloonists.
According to an analysis of Chinese military patent filings by Arms Control Wonk, a blog run by weapons proliferation experts, the Xinjiang base, also known as the Korla or Bohu site, is also being used to develop lasers that can target US satellites.
The base is also used to conduct high-power microwave research, as well as develop airships, the report claims.
The use of hot air balloons in warfare and espionage goes back to the early 1900’s. Experts say they remain an invaluable tool for gathering intelligence because they are relatively inexpensive and, because they hover over an area, they can take more detailed imagery than satellites.
(ian)
