As jets closed in on China balloon, hobbyists were listening

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) – The extraordinary scene of U.S. fighter jets getting ready to strike the Chinese balloon had many people along the Carolina coast straining their necks and pointing their smartphones to the sky to capture the moment of impact.

But a group of aviation enthusiasts was, instead, intently scanning radio frequencies for the exchanges between the pilots that would follow, as an F-22 fired a missile and downed the balloon.

For Ken Harrell of Summerville, South Carolina, the moment he heard the controller guiding the planes in, he knew the mission was for real.

Read the full story on AP News right here.

(Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

2/8/2023 12:38:35 PM (GMT -6:00)