Chinese spy balloon carried equipment to collect intelligence, U.S. says

Washington — The Chinese spy balloon that the U.S. shot down over the Atlantic Ocean last weekend carried high-tech equipment capable of collecting communications signals and other sensitive information, the U.S. government said Thursday.

The balloon had equipment that was "clearly for intelligence surveillance," including "multiple antennas" that were "likely capable of collecting and geo-locating communications," according to a statement by a senior State Department official. The official said the balloon is likely part of a huge aerial spy program operated by the Chinese military that has targeted more than 40 countries on five continents with high-altitude surveillance balloons similar to one the U.S. shot down. 

The statement offered the most detail to date linking China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) to the balloon that traversed the United States. The public details are meant to refute China's persistent denials that the balloon was used for spying, including a claim Thursday that U.S. accusations about the balloon amount to "information warfare" against Beijing.