"I'll let the intel community and the counterintelligence community figure that out. I haven't ruled out anything," VanHerck told reporters Sunday when asked about the possibility of the objects being extra-terrestrial.
"At this point we continue to assess every threat or potential threat, unknown, that approaches North America with an attempt to identify it," he added.
CHINESE SPY CRAFT PAYLOAD LOCATED OFF WATERS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, MOSTLY INTACT: US OFFICIAL
U.S. fighter jets have shot down three unidentified "objects" in recent days, and the military is not ruling out aliens. (US NORCOM)
Air Force General Glen VanHerck, Commander of United States Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command has declined to rule out aliens as the source of "objects" over the U.S. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
VanHerck also confirmed that both U.S. and Canadian NORAD forces have ramped up their radar systems to make them more sensitive, a possible explanation for why the objects seem to have appeared so suddenly.
The object President Biden ordered shot down over Lake Huron on Sunday was described as "octagonal" in shape with strings hanging off, flying at roughly 20,000 feet. U.S. military officials had stated that the craft have no discernable propulsion systems.
However, the prior two craft shot down over Alaska and Northern Canada are believed to be balloons according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who received a briefing on the issue on Sunday.
The three objects flew much lower than the Chinese spy balloon shot down off the coast of South Carolina more than a week ago, which floated well above civilian air traffic at 60,000 feet.
Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recover a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Feb. 5, 2023. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Tyler Thompson)
The U.S. and Canada are currently working to recover debris from all four craft. Only the one shot down off of the U.S. East Coast is known to be of Chinese origin, however.