WASHINGTON ― The U.S. military spent $1.6 million to $2 million last month to shoot down three unidentified, high-altitude objects over North America, with half of that spent on the mission over Lake Huron in Michigan, the Air Force said Monday.
That price tag covers only the cost of the four AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles ― at $400,000 to $500,000 each ― used to down the objects, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said.
Not included in the $2 million total are the cost of the flights to find and shoot down the objects or the cost of the search efforts to recover debris from the objects. The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search efforts in Lake Huron on Feb. 15 amid poor weather and did not immediately have a cost estimate for the search available Monday. Officials have said no debris was recovered.
