Aerial Event Megathread

So in an effort to consolidate information, this megathread has been created.

The aerial events first came to the attention of the public with a high altitude balloon being observed by pilots approaching Alaska around Feb 2nd. Chinese "spy balloon" over CONUS. The balloon was then tracked to Montana, where it appeared to loiter over military installations, including our Minuteman ICBM fields. The decision was made not to shoot it down over Montana, and it was tracked via U-2s out of Beale AFB, California and other airborne assets as it moved from Montana to Missouri. Over Missouri it was tracked by RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft, as well as RC-135U Combat Sent. The Rivet Joint is designed to track and record communications signals, while the Combat Sent is designed to track various radar emissions.

U-2S
RC-135V/W
RC-135U

The balloon then crossed into the Carolinas, where it was shot down just after crossing the coast over the Atlantic. An F-22 Raptor from Langley AFB, Virginia was used with F-15 back stop, along with KC-135 support. The F-22s used the callsign FRANK01-04. This callsign was in honor of Frank Luke, JR who flew in WWI. He was known as the Arizona Balloon Buster, and was credited with shooting down 14 German observation balloons during the war. A single AIM-9X infrared guided missile was used to bring the balloon down in roughly 50 feet of water. US shoots down Chinese spy balloon off East Coast.

F-22 Raptor
KC-135 Stratotanker
AIM-9 Sidewinder

Around Feb 9th, another high altitude object was tracked over Alaska. Lockheed F-35As based at Eielson AFB were scrambled to identify the object, and found a "cylindrical shaped object". There was no evidence of payload on this object, and the following day F-22s from Elmendorf AFB in Alaska were deployed to shoot it down. The object was described as "the size of a small car, greyish in color, and cylindrical", and was flying around 40,000 feet which put it at an altitude where it could potentially conflict with commercial aircraft flying through the area. Again, a single AIM-9X was launched, and brought the object down near Deadhorse, close to Prudhoe Bay. It crashed onto ice, and is reported to have exploded. Recovery efforts are currently underway, but due to weather, and limited daylight, recovery could take up to two weeks. High-Altitude Object shot down over Alaska, US says.

Shortly after, two more objects were detected approaching the Canadian border. One of the objects was identified by RCAF F-18s, after which NORAD assistance was requested. This objects were again flying at lower altitudes, and the decision was made to launch F-22s out of Elmendorf to shoot the object down. The object was then shot down over the Yukon. Two or MORE potential spy balloons are being monitored by US military-with one airborne over Canada. Third High-Altitude Object Shot Down By US Fighter Jet The second object was tracked to Montana again. A pair of F-15s from Portland were launched to search the area, with a KC-135 from Fairchild AFB to support them. The F-15s were using ROCK41 and ROCK42. ROCK41/42 scramble.

The F-15s were unable to find the object and the search was called off overnight. The following day, F-16s from the 148th Fighter Wing from Duluth, Minnesota were sent to search over Lake Michigan for the object. FAA declares 'National Defense Airspace' over Lake Michigan. This object was described as Octagonal and flying at lower altitude. A KC-135, and an E-3 Sentry (SNTRY25, 78-0578) also joined the search. A second KC-135 was eventually dispatched to assist (59-1488 from Maine) as MOLSON01.

E-3 Sentry (AWACS)
F-16 Fighting Falcon

The FAA shut down the TFR over Lake Michigan, and a new TFR was opened over Lake Huron This keeps getting weirder....Canada closes airspace east of Lake Michigan. Shortly after the TFR was opened, reports of a shootdown began to come in. ABC reporting Lake Huron UAP shootdown. Two F-16s using the callsign AESIR11 and AESIR12 (91-0405 and 91-0408) from the 148th Fighter Wing were responsible for the shootdown, supported by SNTRY25, and KC-135 58-0084.

Thanks Zaphod,
I've only came back to AtS because I knew you would be commenting on this. So what should we speculate.. spy balloons, secret Chinese tech or actual Uf0?

a reply to: Zaphod58

Thanks Zaph.



Cheers

a reply to: Zaphod58

After looking at the flight paths these objects would have taken, if they had been launched from China, they would have flown over South Korea and Japan.

Why then would neither of those countries have spotted then on their radars ? Especially South Korea who i would suspect are on continually alert because of The North ?

Seems odd that they only appeared on radar once they flew over Alaska and Canada. Something don't add up.

a reply to: alldaylong

I wonder about the comment (supposedly) made by Pentagon officials, to the effect of, the method of propulsion is not apparent on at least one of the objects.

Some pilots also claimed to have seen no identifiable propulsion on the object, and could not explain how it was staying in the air, despite the object cruising at an altitude of 40,000 feet.

The conflicting eyewitness accounts are partly why the Pentagon has been unable to fully explain what the object is, the source briefed on the matter said.

MSM link follows

Link

Cheers

a reply to: sussy

I’m leaning towards technology tests. Trying different shapes against different sensors, at different altitudes.

a reply to: alldaylong

Because most radars will filter them out. Radar is set up to look for targets of a specific strength, moving at specific speeds. If a target doesn’t meet those criteria, the computer filters it to keep from overloading the operator. The first balloon over Alaska was spotted visually first. They then removed the filters on the NORAD screens, which means that now they’re seeing everything.

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2

If I’m right, and these are semi rigid airships, they may have a new propulsion system for limited steering, to keep their signature down.

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2

That's a quandary indeed.

China must have been depending purely on air currents for it to reach it's destination, if it was China.

Bit primative.

You are an expert in aviation, in my opinion so...
How come a trained military pilot couldn't tell what propulsion was keeping the craft up..
Any comments on what you think what energy could be used ,that has provided the stability of a cylinder and an hexagon shape craft to travel so far an at the 40,000 altitude?

a reply to: alldaylong

Primitive works. Especially when your opponent is geared exclusively towards high tech.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Thanks for info Zap.

a reply to: sussy

My suspicion is either there isn’t one, or it’s using an embedded thrust vectoring system to hide it and reduce it’s already very small signature.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: alldaylong

Primitive works. Especially when your opponent is geared exclusively towards high tech.

First, great thread!
Second… the fact that Chinese ‘went primitive’ (a choice they made-they have other technology) may point to intelligence that they have about our radar filters at NORAD. We should make sure that they don’t have anyone on the inside there.

Seems pretty brazen imho on "someone's part" to be conducting these tests right out in the open and not in a war theater invironment

Maybe I'm just being naive but that seems a bit ominous

Is it true that China shot down a "vehicle" yesterday?: redstate.com...

a reply to: butcherguy

Between the Clinton admin in the 90's, Hilary's compromised Blackberry and email server, Fienstien's 20 year spy driver, Fang Fang, McConnell, and Hunter with the CCP spy chief...

Its likely we don't have many secrets hidden from China.

a reply to: ManBehindTheMask

Eventually they have to be used in a real world environment. You can only test against your own systems so much. We do similar with our new systems, just without penetrating someone’s airspace.

a reply to: carewemust

That’s the claim. I haven’t seen any verification yet. They also claim ten US operated balloons have overflown China in the last year.

a reply to: Zaphod58

So wrapped up into the other existing threads, I completely missed this one.

Thanks Zaph, S&F.