North American fighter jets strike Chinese balloon

WASHINGTON - The extraordinary scene of United States fighter jets getting ready to strike a Chinese balloon had many people around the Carolina coast straining their necks and pointing their phones to the sky to capture the moment of impact.

Instead, a group of aviation enthusiasts were intently scanning radio frequencies for the exchanges between the pilots that would follow, as Huntress, the North American Aerospace Defense Command's NORAD eastern air defence sector controller, followed the exact distance as two Air Force F-22 fighter jets closed in on the target.

The pilots had to balance striking the balloon when it was at least 10 km off shore - the distance NASA had advised the military to keep debris from falling on land - with the assumption that it was still in US territorial airspace.

Huntress advises five miles offshore in a transmission captured by the aviation hobbyist Ken Harrell, in a recording that was authenticated by NORAD.

Frank One is switching hot, the first F- 22 reports. The call sign Frank was given to both aircraft to honor 2nd Lt Frank Luke, who earned the Medal of Honor in World War I for downing multiple balloons and aircraft.

Frank Two is switching hot, the second F 22 radios in.

When Huntress calls out that the balloon is exactly six nautical miles out, Frank One takes the shot.

The balloon is completely destroyed! Radios an F 15 fighter jet that also took part in the mission, advising quickly that there appears to be metal chaff clouds It s definitely metal breaking apart.