Two senators – Democrat Mark Kelly and Republican Ted Budd – will introduce a bill to ensure the identification of balloons that appear in the country’s airspace. The issue received particular attention after US fighter jets shot down a Chinese balloon and three other targets last month.
The bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue regulations within two years requiring high-altitude balloons operating at or above 10,000 feet (about 3 km) above sea level are equipped with tracking systems to report the height at which the object is located, as well as its owner and location.
Senator Ted Budd (file photo)
Ted Budd said in a statement that the elimination of the Chinese spy balloon highlights the urgent need to rethink how we track objects in US airspace.
The bill would require the FAA, in conjunction with the International Civil Aviation Organization, to develop equivalent standards for high-altitude balloons around the world and would direct the agency to form a committee that would offer recommendations for update existing rules.
The United States points out that the Chinese balloon was used for reconnaissance purposes. China said it was a civilian weather plane and accidentally entered US airspace after veering off course.
President Joe Biden has tasked National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan with leading a multi-agency task force, including the FAA, to come up with recommendations on how to proceed with the unidentified objects.
