US blew up Boy Scout balloon with $500,000 missile – ex-Pentagon officials (VIDEO) In February 2023, the US Air Force shot down a Boy Scout balloon over Lake Huron with a missile costing approximately $500,000. This incident occurred during a period of heightened alert for suspected Chinese spy balloons, leading to adjusted radar detection that inadvertently targeted civilian aircraft. Former Pentagon officials stated that the military was overreacting, shooting down every unidentified aerial phenomenon detected after the initial Chinese balloon incident.

• A Boy Scout balloon was shot down by a US F-16 with an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile over Lake Huron in February 2023.
• The missile used cost approximately $500,000, and the balloon had reportedly circumnavigated the globe eight times.
• This incident happened during a period of panic over suspected Chinese spy balloons, prompting the US military to adjust radar detection parameters.
• The adjusted radar led to the accidental downing of civilian balloons, including one from Walmart and a hobby group.
• China reportedly scaled back its balloon surveillance program after the controversy with the US.