NORAD's chief refused to rule out the possibility of an extraterrestrial origin for the unknown "objects" shot down across the U.S. and Canada in recent days.
General Glen VanHerck, who leads NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command, said he would leave the possibility of aliens up to the intelligence community. U.S. fighter jets have shot down three unidentified "objects" in as many days this week, but the military has yet to confirm what they are.
"I'll let the intel community and the counterintelligence community figure that out. I haven't ruled out anything," VanHerck told reporters Sunday when asked about the possibility of the objects being extra-terrestrial.
"At this point we continue to assess every threat or potential threat, unknown, that approaches North America with an attempt to identify it," he added.
CHINESE SPY CRAFT PAYLOAD LOCATED OFF WATERS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, MOSTLY INTACT: US OFFICIAL
VanHerck also confirmed that both U.S. and Canadian NORAD forces have ramped up their radar systems to make them more sensitive, a possible explanation for why the objects seem to have appeared so suddenly.
The object President Biden ordered shot down over Lake Huron on Sunday was described as "octagonal" in shape with strings hanging off, flying at roughly 20,000 feet. U.S. military officials had stated that the craft have no discernable propulsion systems.
However, the prior two craft shot down over Alaska and Northern Canada are believed to be balloons according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who received a briefing on the issue on Sunday.
The three objects flew much lower than the Chinese spy balloon shot down off the coast of South Carolina more than a week ago, which floated well above civilian air traffic at 60,000 feet.
The U.S. and Canada are currently working to recover debris from all four craft. Only the one shot down off of the U.S. East Coast is known to be of Chinese origin, however.
