Chinese "Spy Balloon" over CONUS.

Well, this is interesting. I say "pop" it.

Also assuming its a "spy balloon", and likely so if its over Montana, could take a peak at the missile fields. But I would think China can do that with satellites.

Of course, if they wanted to invade Tiawan, nothing like popping a small, high altitude nuke for a little EMP effect before the operation starts; just to add to the confusion.


www.nbcnews.com...

a reply to: SrWingCommander

oh boy

from your link

The leaders reviewed the threat profile of the Chinese stratospheric balloon and possible response options, and ultimately decided not to recommend taking it out kinetically, because of the risk to safety and security of people on the ground from the possible debris field. Pentagon leaders presented the options to President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

a reply to: MetalThunder

wtf.


come one
come all
come to the states
and do whatever the # you want
unless you are a white male born here

Former (whatever he was) John Kerry has been holding Secret Meetings with Chinese Communists.

He is under investigation for this: www.foxnews.com...

originally posted by: chris_stibrany
a reply to: MetalThunder

wtf.

WTF indeed...


abcnews.go.com...

"The United States government has detected and is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is flying over the continental United States right now," Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters. "NORAD [North American Aerospace Defense Command] continues to track and monitor it closely."

A senior defense official said they "are confident" the balloon was sent by the Chinese government -- and this incident isn't the first one.

"Instances of this activity have been observed over the past several years, including prior to this administration," the official said.

Earlier Thursday, a senior U.S. official described the balloon to ABC News as the size of three buses, with a technology bay.

I wouldn't assume they were for traditional spyng technique that's for sure.

a reply to: SrWingCommander

originally posted by: carewemust
Former (whatever he was) John Kerry has been holding Secret Meetings with Chinese Communists.

He is under investigation for this: www.foxnews.com...

Once a treasonous traitor piece of sh!t, always one.

What could China possibly need a ballon for when satellites could do the job?

a reply to: SrWingCommander

Fascinating!

I've been talking about the use of high-altitude lighter than air vehicles (LAV's) as potential ISR platforms for years.

Actually proposed an extremely high-altitude, long duration powered airship/divisible as an early waring defense/weapons platform against hypersonic weapons.

Was told it wasn't practical. Go figure.


I note that the Pentagon is calling it a balloon, and have, so far, refrained from shooting it down out of concern for the "risk to the safety and security of the people on the ground from the possible debris field".

That's bullsh#t.


If it were really just a "balloon", as they claim, the debris field would be rather small (likely less than an American football field) and most of the debris would consist of the balloon envelope itself. The payload (the ISR equipment suite), could weigh a couple tons, depending on the size of the balloon, and could pose a danger if it fell on a densely populated area.

But EVERY balloon launch I've ever been a part of had an altitude-triggered parachute recovery system integrated into the payload system.

Because you can't "land" a balloon that is "just a balloon"!


Nope!

My money is on this intruder being more than a balloon.

I think it is actually an autonomous, long distance/duration stratospheric self-propelled airship.


And that, if you read, and understood what I had mentioned as a proposal earlier, is worrisome.

So...we're just leaving it there???

Got it.

originally posted by: RazorV66

originally posted by: carewemust
Former (whatever he was) John Kerry has been holding Secret Meetings with Chinese Communists.

He is under investigation for this: www.foxnews.com...

Once a treasonous traitor piece of sh!t, always one.

What could China possibly need a ballon for when satellites could do the job?

Re: truthsocial.com...

We need to know if the balloon is being controlled. Then we can know it was flown over specific locations for a reason, and not just as the wind changed.

originally posted by: RazorV66

originally posted by: carewemust
Former (whatever he was) John Kerry has been holding Secret Meetings with Chinese Communists.

He is under investigation for this: www.foxnews.com...

Once a treasonous traitor piece of sh!t, always one.

What could China possibly need a ballon for when satellites could do the job?

Study your aviation history!


You have obviously never heard of the "flying aircraft carrier" concept.

In WWI, I believe, dirigibles would be designed to carry small "parasite" airplanes and launch them, in air, close to the battlefield.

This would extend the fighting time for the planes, since they did not have fly themselves to the theater, using their limited fuel supplies outside of combat.


A stratospheric airship would be an almost ideal platform from which to launch hypersonic missiles; it would be harder to detect, harder to identify as a weapons carrier (as opposed to an ISR platform), and would reduce the flight time to target of the launched hypersonic weapon considerably.

Doesn't NASA have a few operational SR 71s. They could take a picture from a mile or so away. At least we would know what it looked like other than from space.

Seems to me there is a Chinese Spy Balloon over the POTUS as well. Sends out remote control signals to an animatronic.

Did it file a flight plan? No? Pop it.

originally posted by: Arnie123
So...we're just leaving it there???

Got it.

It might be a giant dragon balloon from Chinese New Year parties in San Francisco.

Our military is not what it was, pre-2021. Little training, and money going to "wokeness", instead of readiness.

The leaders reviewed the threat profile of the Chinese stratospheric balloon and possible response options, and ultimately decided not to recommend taking it out kinetically, because of the risk to safety and security of people on the ground from the possible debris field

Please. This is Montana, odds are remote of hitting anyone. Though good luck getting to the debris (esp. in early February.)

Anyway... maybe for every balloon, the US could fly a U2 over Chinese territory?

a reply to: carewemust

On-board GPS, computer controlled lift gas management, and environmental sensors (altitude, temperature, wind speed, etc.) would allow the vehicle a degree of autonomy that would not require detectable external "control" in the conventional sense.

BREAKING - Just reported on CBS News.

President Biden wants to shoot it down, immediately!

originally posted by: Mantiss2021
a reply to: carewemust

On-board GPS, computer controlled lift gas management, and environmental sensors (altitude, temperature, wind speed, etc.) would allow the vehicle a degree of autonomy that would not require detectable external "control" in the conventional sense.

I wonder where and what it was launched from?