The Pentagon has released new footage of the object shot down by a United States Air National Guard F-16 fighter jet over Lake Huron, located between the state of Michigan and the province of Ontario in Canada, in February 2023.
The target, initially classified as a “UAP” — a term used for unidentified aerial phenomena — may have been just a balloon, according to analysis of the newly released images. The object was flying at around 20,000 feet and was considered a threat to commercial aircraft operating in the area.
The incident occurred just days after the famous Chinese balloon that crossed U.S. territory was shot down by an F-22 Raptor over the Atlantic Ocean. During that same period, two other objects were also shot down over Alaska and Yukon in Canada, increasing concerns among authorities about possible unknown aerial threats. Some reports had already indicated that these smaller objects could also have been balloons.
The newly released footage is part of the PURSUE program, an initiative created to release declassified material related to encounters with UAPs. According to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the video was recorded by infrared sensors aboard a military aircraft. In the footage, the object can be seen being struck and fragmenting in midair after being hit by an AIM-9X missile fired from the F-16.
Experts point out that visible details in the video, such as wires hanging beneath the object and the way it breaks apart, reinforce the hypothesis that it was a balloon. Even so, the case remains surrounded by speculation, mainly due to the poor quality of the released footage. Analysts note that modern sensors installed on next-generation fighter jets should be capable of producing much clearer images, something that continues to fuel doubts and theories surrounding so-called UAPs.
JUST IN – U.S. Air Force F-16C shoots down a reported UFO in second tranche of UFO files released today by Pentagon at https://t.co/hbLmlDA2Br pic.twitter.com/IVEY1hb6as
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) May 22, 2026
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Source: The Aviationist | Photo: Department of War | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
