1st US missile fired at unidentified object over Lake Huron missed target, general says
- A 2nd missile had to be launched to take down the aerial object, raising questions about the risk created by such strikes
- The initial shot ‘landed harmlessly’ in the water; US General Mark Milley says the military went to great lengths to make sure civilians were not in danger
The first US missile fired at an unidentified aerial object over Lake Huron missed the target and “landed harmlessly” in the water before a second one successfully hit, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Tuesday.
The acknowledgement by General Mark Milley of the errant strike comes amid questions about whether the shooting down of aerial objects that military officials say did not pose a threat is creating unnecessary risk.
Milley said the military went to “great lengths” to make sure the strikes did not put civilians at risk, including identifying what the debris field size was likely to be and the maximum effective range of the missiles used.
He also said in each case the Pentagon works to make sure that the air space is clear, and to evaluate the potential debris field, before embarking on such a strike.
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“We’re very very careful to make sure that those shots are in fact safe,” Milley said.