On February 16, Scowcroft director Matthew Kroenig was interviewed by Bloomberg’s David Westin on the four unidentified flying objects most recently shot down by the US and Canada. Kroenig provides insight into what the objects may have been, as well as their functions, and discusses the advantages of using a balloon or drone, rather than a satellite, for surveillance or intelligence purposes. The uncertain and classified nature of the situation is also classified, with an emphasis that nothing is certain and that the situation is still evolving.
This suggests a certain brazenness on the part of China… We see [Xi Jinping] challenging the United States across multiple dimensions of national power: economically, stealing intellectual property; militarily, increasing his threats against Taiwan; diplomatically… it’s not a surprise we’re seeing a more aggressive approach, also, in the intelligence space.