UK ‘Spy Balloons’ Fly as Constellation for First Time, Break Into Stratosphere

The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has successfully flown a group of uncrewed surveillance balloons into the stratosphere, marking a key leap in its push for high-altitude intelligence capabilities.

In the recent test, the spy balloons traveled more than 2,000 nautical miles (2,301 miles/3704 kilometers) and climbed at an altitude between 60,000 and 80,000 feet (18,288 and 24,384 meters), twice the cruising height of a commercial airliner.

They also operated as a group for the first time under the control of a single operator.

Read the full story on NextGen Defense: UK ‘Spy Balloons’ Fly as Constellation for First Time, Break Into Stratosphere