Wallace: UK to review security after ‘airspace intrusions’ in US by alleged Chinese ‘spy balloon’

Ben Wallace has announced the UK will conduct a security review after a series of objects in Western airspace were shot down by the US military, including a suspected Chinese spy balloon.

The Defence Secretary announced the intended review on Sunday.

It comes after US fighter jets shot down an “unidentified object” over Lake Huron on Sunday – the fourth object to enter US or Canadian airspace in just over a week.

Mr Wallace said: “The UK and her allies will review what these airspace intrusions mean for our security. This development is another sign of how the global threat picture is changing for the worse.” 

On February 4, the US military downed a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast after it traversed sensitive military sites across North America. 

Almost a week later on Friday, they shot down an unknown “car-sized” object flying in US airspace off the coast of Alaska. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday that he ordered a US warplane to shoot down an unidentified object that was flying high over northern Canada. 

On Sunday, a further unidentified object was shot down with a missile by US fighter jets over Lake Huron.

Press Association –  Ellie Ng