NORAD Temporarily Shuts Down Airspace in Central Montana After ‘Radar Anomaly’

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) temporarily shut down the airspace in central Montana after detecting a “radar anomaly,” the command said in a statement late Saturday evening.

With the cooperation of the Federal Aviation Administration, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) implemented a temporary flight restriction airspace in central Montana on Feb. 11, 2023, to ensure the safety of air traffic in the area during NORAD operations. The restriction has been lifted. NORAD detected a radar anomaly and sent fighter aircraft to investigate. Those aircraft did not identify any object to correlate to the radar hits. NORAD will continue to monitor the situation.

Before NORAD issued the statement, Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) tweeted about an “object,” saying he was receiving regular updates.

“I am aware of the object in Montana air space and remain in close contract with senior DOD and Administration officials. I am closely monitornig the situation and am receiving regular updates. I will continue to demand answers for the American public,” he tweeted.

The suspected object was separate from unidentified object that was shot down earlier on Saturday by a U.S. F-22 fighter jet that violated Canadian airspace.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had ordered the object be shot down. The F-22 fighter jet operated under NORAD, a joint U.S.-Canada command.

Recovery operations are reportedly underway.

The latest incidents come just a day after NORAD shot down an unidentified car-sized object flying over Alaska, and about a week after China sent a giant 200-foot-tall spy balloon carrying a payload the size of a jetliner into U.S. airspace and across the continental U.S., exiting over South Carolina where it was finally shot down.

The Biden administration’s failure to detect and shoot the balloon down prompted nationwide criticism. After the balloon entered U.S. airspace on January 28, President Joe Biden claimed that he ordered the balloon to be shot down on February 1, but deferred to the military on the timing.

The military finally shot down the balloon on February 4, after it reached the Atlantic Ocean. Recovery options for the spy balloon and the subsequent object over Alaska are still underway.

Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) summarized the string of recent events, tweeting: “What is going on here?”

 

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