Chinese spy balloon

[Honeyman]

Why was it allowed to enter U.S. airspace?

I don't believe the Chinese asked permission.

I hear it came through Canada. It's the Canada's fault.

Did you flunk geography?

Did you?

How might it get from Alaska to montana?

Did you know Alaska became a state in 1959?

[Deleted User 15924]

There's been chatter about a number of Chinese spy balloons wandering over the continental US during Donald's term as president. According to CNN, no one knew about them until after Biden became Commander in Chief.

Isn't the purpose of NORAD to watch for exactly this sort of thing? Could Russian aircraft cross the Aleutian Islands undetected? Can't help wondering if Beijing and Moscow are pondering the same thing.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/05/politics ... index.html

[bmw]

It first entered Alaska, and then went into Canada. The fact that neither the US was prepared to shoot it down over Alaska nor Canada over any of its territory is what is alarming.

As to the reports of past spy balloons during the Trump administration - if those claims are true, how did we not know about the balloons during Trump's admin while these things were in our airspace but then suddenly magically figure it out after Trump left and after the balloons were already no longer here? I mean, what evidence did the Biden admin discover that the Trump admin was unaware of? Doesn't make sense to me without more details, which, apparently the government officials making these claims aren't willing to give us.

[Deleted User 15924]

The military says they seen it enter Alaskan air space. Do you believe them? Or did the government really not realize anything until Joe Citizen noticed it in Montana? We will never know.

[km1125]

Apparently we were aware that it flew over the Aleutian Islands, but didn't do anything about it. I'm wondering if Canada even knew it entered their airspace. Did we tell them? Did we explore shooting it down in their airspace, perhaps before it got to land?

And (apparently) there are many balloons that are tracked every year and most warrant no action. That's either because the owner of he balloon has made arrangements for the overflight, or they were cooperative when their balloon was identified. China didn't even fess up to owning this one until just before it was shot down.

[Rate This]

Apparently we were aware that it flew over the Aleutian Islands, but didn't do anything about it. I'm wondering if Canada even knew it entered their airspace. Did we tell them? Did we explore shooting it down in their airspace, perhaps before it got to land?

And (apparently) there are many balloons that are tracked every year and most warrant no action. That's either because the owner of he balloon has made arrangements for the overflight, or they were cooperative when their balloon was identified. China didn't even fess up to owning this one until just before it was shot down.

They seem to have deemed it no more a threat than a satellite is the main idea. It's not really gathering data any more interesting than what one of those could.

The other issue in Trump's defense and NORAD's defense is that there is not much metal to it so radar has a hard time picking one up. The other incursions were extremely brief... not balloon goes on an American adventure level stuff.

[MotorCityRadioFreak]

What if it’s a dry run for an attached drone next time?

[Rate This]

What if it’s a dry run for an attached drone next time?

A drone would probably have a hard time flying at 60,000 feet I imagine. Not only that but attaching such a thing to a balloon and using it to spy or drop something on the US is asking for a nuke to be dropped on Communist Party Headquarters while Xi is confirmed to be there. They aren't that stupid. Because of your comment I will now reflect long and hard about the downside of action movies imagining ridiculous scenarios.

[bmw]

What if it’s a dry run for an attached drone next time?

A drone would probably have a hard time flying at 60,000 feet I imagine...

Uhhh...no. China has developed an unmanned drone that runs on solar panels and batteries and can fly, so they claim, for YEARS without human intervention. It can fly at at an altitude of just over 65,000 feet.

The Qimingxing-50 (Morning Star) is the country’s first major unmanned aerial vehicle platform that is all-electric and solely powered by solar energy.

It is also the first high-altitude, low-speed drone with an ultrahigh aspect ratio produced by the Chinese aviation sector. The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the developer of the drone, said that it could stay in the air for an extended period using efficient, clean, and environmentally friendly solar energy.

With a wingspan of 164 feet, the drone is designed to fly at altitudes of more than 20 km above the Earth’s surface where there is stable airflow with no clouds. As a result, it can make the maximum use of solar equipment to stay functional for longer durations. According to AVIC, the UAV can keep flying even during periods of overnight darkness, reports South China Morning Post. The drone’s chief designer Zhu Shengli told the publication that it can operate without a break for months, even years.

https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/ch ... 11821.html

[Rate This]

What if it’s a dry run for an attached drone next time?

A drone would probably have a hard time flying at 60,000 feet I imagine...

Uhhh...no. China has developed an unmanned drone that runs on solar panels and batteries and can fly, so they claim, for YEARS without human intervention. It can fly at at an altitude of just over 65,000 feet.

The Qimingxing-50 (Morning Star) is the country’s first major unmanned aerial vehicle platform that is all-electric and solely powered by solar energy.

It is also the first high-altitude, low-speed drone with an ultrahigh aspect ratio produced by the Chinese aviation sector. The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the developer of the drone, said that it could stay in the air for an extended period using efficient, clean, and environmentally friendly solar energy.

With a wingspan of 164 feet, the drone is designed to fly at altitudes of more than 20 km above the Earth’s surface where there is stable airflow with no clouds. As a result, it can make the maximum use of solar equipment to stay functional for longer durations. According to AVIC, the UAV can keep flying even during periods of overnight darkness, reports South China Morning Post. The drone’s chief designer Zhu Shengli told the publication that it can operate without a break for months, even years.

https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/ch ... 11821.html

Lovely.

[Deleted User 15924]

.... Not only that but attaching such a thing to a balloon and using it to spy or drop something on the US is asking for a nuke to be dropped on Communist Party Headquarters while Xi is confirmed to be there. They aren't that stupid ...

Do you truly feel the current administration would respond in that fashion?

[Rate This]

.... Not only that but attaching such a thing to a balloon and using it to spy or drop something on the US is asking for a nuke to be dropped on Communist Party Headquarters while Xi is confirmed to be there. They aren't that stupid ...

Do you truly feel the current administration would respond in that fashion?

No… it’s an exaggeration… but there would be a military response.

[HD74]

In WWII, Japan sent many balloons laden with bombs over the Continental U.S. one killed a schoolteacher, but a lot of them blew up in uninhabited or sparse populated areas.

[paul8539]

If Rate is correct, then we DO need to drop a nuke on Chinese Communist Party headquarters. We should have done that years ago.