A Chinese Spy Balloon?

[syscom3]

Not much you can use to bring it down, other than an ASAT or maybe an AC-130's 105 mm canon.

F16's, F15's and F22's all have the ability to get up to 60K and launch a missile.

 

[syscom3]

The problem the Air Force faced, was several, actually.

First, shooting down the balloon meant that the array, which was the equivellent of three school busses, would be tumbling out of control for about 11 miles to earth with no predictable point of impact.

Next, trying to shoot a missile at the balloon, which has next to no RCS, would be complicated, most likely the missile(s) would pass through and continue on until falling to earth - again, with no idea of where the missile(s) would end up.

Last, trying to make a gun run with 20mm cannon would be difficult, too, since the balloon would offer no resistance to the shells and now you have a rain of 20mm cannon shells falling to earth while the balloon (which is of substantial size) slowly deflates. It could take days for enough helium to vent enough to bring it to earth.

I don't know if they considered hitting it with flares, which would be tricky enough, but would certainly damage the balloon's material enough to bring it down much faster than cannon rounds.

So they waited until it had passed out to sea before taking it down. Missiles would make the biggest holes and they'll fall into the ocean without putting people at risk.

The balloon's payload has enough RCS to be seen.

 

[Greg Boeser]

The RCAF shot down a rogue weather balloon over New Foundland a few years back.

So, what does a rogue weather balloon do, exactly?

 

[syscom3]

Will the crew chief of the F16 that fired the missile that took down the balloon, be authorized to paint a balloon kill on the jet? LOL

 

[Greg Boeser]

View: https://youtu.be/hiwgOWo7mDc

 

[GrauGeist]

So, what does a rogue weather balloon do, exactly?

Starts fights and won't pay their bar tab...

 

[Greg Boeser]

Starts fights and won't pay their bar tab...

That's what I was afraid of.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The problem the Air Force faced, was several, actually.

First, shooting down the balloon meant that the array, which was the equivellent of three school busses, would be tumbling out of control for about 11 miles to earth with no predictable point of impact.

Next, trying to shoot a missile at the balloon, which has next to no RCS, would be complicated, most likely the missile(s) would pass through and continue on until falling to earth - again, with no idea of where the missile(s) would end up.

Last, trying to make a gun run with 20mm cannon would be difficult, too, since the balloon would offer no resistance to the shells and now you have a rain of 20mm cannon shells falling to earth while the balloon (which is of substantial size) slowly deflates. It could take days for enough helium to vent enough to bring it to earth.

I don't know if they considered hitting it with flares, which would be tricky enough, but would certainly damage the balloon's material enough to bring it down much faster than cannon rounds.

So they waited until it had passed out to sea before taking it down. Missiles would make the biggest holes and they'll fall into the ocean without putting people at risk.

Apparently the order was given on Wednesday to shoot it down, however, the Pentagon advised against it until it was over the Eastern coast.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Will the crew chief of the F16 that fired the missile that took down the balloon, be authorized to paint a balloon kill on the jet? LOL

It was an F-22 that fired the shot.

And this photo is not real, but here you go…

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Splash one! Repeat, splash one Chinese take out deliver balloon.

 

[Greg Boeser]

You know Kim is kicking himself. "Why didn't we think of that?"
He's now scouring the countyside for enough party balloons to lift "the big one."

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

 

[wlewisiii]

One:
You have to listen to the song in the original German...


View: https://youtu.be/oIO5lfJ9dhs

And as that live version shows, she's still hot

 

[Marcel]

It makes me wonder when the last kill scored against a balloon was in military annals.

Balloon popping was considered very dangerous in the first world war.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

The RCAF shot down a rogue weather balloon over New Foundland a few years back.

Was the pilot given score for a kill? Or just a nice hot cup o' Timmy's?

Balloon popping was considered very dangerous in the first world war.

Yes, I know.

 

[hawkeye2an]

Any Spad XIIIs available?

 

[hawkeye2an]

Any of this old French ordinance available? or just go with the trusted Black Cats

 

[syscom3]

Any conjectures on just what intelligence they were trying to collect? It's so much easier to collect signals from an innocuous semi truck hauling a trailer full of gear. Optical imagery? Buy it from commercial sources. Missile silo coordinates? Bribe the Russians for it. They'll be happy to sell that info.

 

[cvairwerks]

Most likely an ELINT package. You'd be surprised at what can be figured out from everyday signal data.

 

[GrauGeist]

I would be curious to see what equipment was on board that allow the balloon to be able to change it's course contrary to prevailing winds.