Chinese "weather" balloon floating over the US

[tercel89]

I'm not sure if this has been brought up  yet but my wife just told me about this mess. Channel 5 News out of Nashville talked about a Chinese "weather" balloon that is floating over the US right now. If the winds stay like they are it is supposed to cross Tennessee tonight during the night time hours. They say the Pentagon and other security groups are aware of it but refuse to bring this balloon down. The news said it is supposed to be the size of 3 buses. I bet if this happened with the previous administration that balloon would have been brought down by now instead of letting it do whatever it's doing over our land. It is supposedly violating US air space. 
 

[Protongunner]

Where's that  phallic shaped rocket of Bezos' when you need it?...

Edited February 4, 2023 by Protongunner

[Grayfox54]

Actually our government has known about this since shortly after it launched in China. The payload package is what's the size of 3 buses. The thing should have been shot down when it was still over Montana or Wyoming and over unpopulated areas. Now they've done messed around and they may have to wait until it crosses out into the Atlantic before its safe to kill it. Who knows what information it can collect and send back to China by then? 

This is a major embarrassment for the U.S. in the eyes of the whole world. How the Hell could our government let this happen? 

[Garufa]

Damn thing should be shot down.

If the US had a balloon floating over China guess what would happen?

 Now there’s a second one floating over “Latin America”.

Edited February 4, 2023 by Garufa

[OLDNEWBIE]

 

Those Chinese ballons are a damned nuisance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6Ffr1U7KMY

[Erik88]

I don't understand it. What is this balloon showing them that they don't already see with satellites? I have a hard time believing it's harmless. 

[OLDNEWBIE]

8 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

I don't understand it. What is this balloon showing them that they don't already see with satellites? I have a hard time believing it's harmless. 

It might be a test to see how sleepy Joe reacts?

[Defender]

Actually it should have shot down over the ocean as it approached the Alaskan coast.

[Garufa]

13 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

I don't understand it. What is this balloon showing them that they don't already see with satellites? I have a hard time believing it's harmless. 

It is a provocation.  An annoying display of superiority not only of will and resources but an overwhelming desire to prove such.

Edited February 4, 2023 by Garufa

[Alleycat72]

The balloon is reported to be "maneuverable"

[Links2k]

So y’all are just going to ignore the low orbit satellites that China already uses to surveil us?  It’s being reported that we have the capability to obscure images over sensitive areas as the ballon passes. 
 

This was a huge screw up by China. They got caught. They already knew where the bases, missiles and bombers are. I have a feeling they are going to mysteriously loss a few things in the near future for this escalation. 
 

I trust the decision not to shoot it down risking lives on the ground.  I’m certain DOD ran analyst and projected trajectories of the debris field and concluded it would be better to wait until they could safely bring it down. 
 

 

[OLDNEWBIE]

1 minute ago, Defender said:

Actually it should have shot down over the ocean as it approached the Alaskan coast.

Not knowing what might be in the balloon it might be wise to capture and analyse off the coast. 

[Garufa]

1 minute ago, OLDNEWBIE said:

Not knowing what might be in the balloon it might be wise to capture and analyse off the coast. 

How do we capture a balloon at 60,000 feet?  

[Links2k]

3 minutes ago, Garufa said:

It is a provocation.  

It’s definitely a provocation, but I don’t think it’s a show of superiority. I’d be most concerned about the dispersion of bio weapons.  China knows how trigger happy we are, and the urge to shoot it down is irresistible, thus sealing our own fate. 

[Garufa]

10 minutes ago, Links2k said:

It’s definitely a provocation, but I don’t think it’s a show of superiority. I’d be most concerned about the dispersion of bio weapons.  China knows how trigger happy we are, and the urge to shoot it down is irresistible, thus sealing our own fate. 

One could argue that China has already released a bio agent that has not only disrupted the US economy and culture, but that of the entire planet.

Popping a ballon is not going to change that.  They already know our resources and readiness, they are simply trying to show dominance.

[OLDNEWBIE]

37 minutes ago, Garufa said:

How do we capture a balloon at 60,000 feet?  

Just a guess but high altitude plane like the old U2 with projectile to pierce it. Doubt shooting it would pop it.

Small hole. Slow leak, slow descent, follow and be ready.

[-boatman-]

1 hour ago, Links2k said:

It’s definitely a provocation, but I don’t think it’s a show of superiority. I’d be most concerned about the dispersion of bio weapons.  China knows how trigger happy we are, and the urge to shoot it down is irresistible, thus sealing our own fate. 

This is the second time I've heard this. I had not thought about that but think this could be a real possibility. But would they do this now knowing we discovered it's up there?

[Grayfox54]

2 hours ago, Links2k said:

This was a huge screw up by China. They got caught.

Nope, they wanted us to see it. That's the whole point. They got away with it. 

[Grayfox54]

I saw on another site that the F-22 has a ceiling of 65,000 feet. Send one up, poke a few holes in it and let it slowly sink to earth. Study the payload at our leisure. 

[Links2k]

2 hours ago, -boatman- said:

This is the second time I've heard this. I had not thought about that but think this could be a real possibility. But would they do this now knowing we discovered it's up there?

I now believe they wanted to get caught. I just saw a former Pentagon deputy chief explaining that the government is hesitant to shoot the balloon due to ground safety concerns, and the military is hoping to get the balloon intact to reverse engineer it. If it poses a legitimate threat, they are prepared to bring it down sooner. 
 

1 hour ago, Grayfox54 said:

Nope, they wanted us to see it. That's the whole point. They got away with it. 

They haven’t gotten away with anything. You may be forgetting the treacherous history of the U.S. government and military. We may not hear about it, but they will pay a price. 
 

 

[BigK]

nvm, may be misinterpreted as a political comment

Edited February 4, 2023 by BigK

[deerslayer]

I'm thinking if I hike to the top of Mt Leconte, I could nail this thing with my 6mm BMG as it passes over.

https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/trending/north-carolina-police-urge-residents-not-take-potshots-chinese-spy-balloon/UNPYNPJKDBDLXGFEMFTPWF7ZWM/

[Grayfox54]

.gov keeps saying its nothing to worry about. Its over North Carolina now and will probably be out to sea before much longer. Whatever it was looking for, its already got by now. Odds are they'll shoot it down once its over the ocean. 

Oh well, another non-event. 

[gregintenn]

Let’s say I’m out in the yard with a 30-06. How much do you reckon I need to lead?

[Snaveba]

If you have a 30-06 with a 11 mile range, I’m impressed.