U.S. fighter jets under the Biden administration shot down a high-altitude object over Lake Huron with an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile that cost approximately $500,000.
The object was later identified as a balloon launched by a Boy Scout troop as part of a research project.
The incident occurred on February 12, 2023. An F-16 from the Minnesota Air National Guard fired the missile at the object flying at about 20,000 feet. Video released by the Department of Defense in May 2026 shows a dark, orb-like object with a dangling string in the jet’s targeting system before impact.
The Shootdown
Military officials described the object at the time as an “octagonal structure” that posed a potential flight safety hazard and a possible surveillance risk. Former President Joe Biden ordered the action “out of an abundance of caution” on the recommendation of military leaders.
Audio from the pilots captured uncertainty about the object’s nature. One pilot stated, “I wouldn’t really call it a balloon… I can see it outside with my eyes.”
The F-16 missed its first missile attempt before a second AIM-9X Sidewinder struck the target. Each missile costs roughly $400,000 to $500,000.
The operation took place days after the U.S. shot down a confirmed Chinese surveillance balloon off South Carolina and other unidentified objects over Alaska and Canada.
Kirkpatrick’s Disclosure
Sean Kirkpatrick, former director of the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), revealed the object’s identity in April 2026 at a conference. He stated the balloon belonged to a Boy Scout troop and had circumnavigated the globe eight times before being destroyed.
“The balloon had circumnavigated the globe eight times before we shot it down with a half-million-dollar missile,” Kirkpatrick said. He added that the object was part of an ongoing research project. Kirkpatrick noted significant reactions from lawmakers when briefed on the findings.
The 2023 Incidents
The Lake Huron shootdown occurred amid heightened alert following the Chinese spy balloon incident. That balloon, recovered from South Carolina waters, carried equipment linked to a Beijing surveillance program targeting U.S. military sites.
In the same period, another object shot down off Alaska was identified as a hobbyist balloon from the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade, valued at approximately $12. A separate case involved a star-shaped Mylar “Happy Birthday” balloon from Walmart.
Former interim AARO director Tim Phillips told reporters that after the Chinese balloon event, the Department of Defense engaged unidentified anomalous phenomena more aggressively.
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“After the Chinese spy balloon embarrassment, DOD was shooting at every (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) they detected,” Phillips said.
Video and Pilot Observations
The released 45-second infrared video depicts the object’s destruction. Pilots described it as a small, metallic balloon in some reports, but expressed confusion during the engagement. Military officials initially cited potential surveillance capabilities as justification for the shootdown.
No injuries or ground damage were reported. Debris recovery operations followed the incident.
The events prompted the establishment of a dedicated UFO task force. Kirkpatrick has stated that many reported UAP incidents involve ordinary objects misidentified under operational pressure.
