New Delhi: The Indian Air Force proved its capability to strike down Chinese spy balloon type targets at a very high altitude of 55,000 plus feet along the eastern front recently.

In early 2023, the US government had used a fifth generation F-22 Raptor fighter jet to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon over the sea.

The IAF had been holding discussions on the issue of tackling the challenge posed by such balloons which fly at very altitude and also held discussions with the American Air Force last year

Defence sources told ANI that the Indian Air Force used a Rafale fighter jet to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon type target over the area of responsibility of the Eastern Air Command a few months ago.

The force used a relatively smaller balloon in size than the Chinese spy balloon which was shot down by the US Air Force.

The balloon was released in air with some payload tied to it and it was then shot down using an inventory missile at an altitude of over 55,000 feet, they said.

The capability was proven by the Indian Air Force when present chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh was in-charge of overall operations as Vice Chief of Air Staff and present Vice Chief Air Marshal SP Dharkar was the Eastern Air Commander. The then Director General Air Operations Air Marshal Surat Singh is now the Eastern Air Commander.

In early 2023, the US Air Force F-22 shot down a Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina that traversed across North America for several days. There were at least two other instances within a week after that.

Similar balloon had been sighted over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands territory in India and it is believed that the balloons are used for carrying out surveillance over a large area.

However, no action was taken against it in the three to four days it was sighted after which it drifted away.

It was also believed that the Chinese spy balloons have some kind of steering mechanism and they can be used to stabilise over their areas of interest.

The force has also been preparing its standard operating procedures to act against such threats in future.

(With Inputs From Agencies)