Chinese "weather" balloon floating over the US

[Grayfox54]

14 hours ago, Jeb48 said:

just shooting a few holes in it and let it come down in one piece at a slower rate.

I read in several places that those balloons operate at very low pressure.  Plus the altitude and materials are a major factor. It don't just pop like a regular toy balloon.  It was stated that you could shoot a hundred 20MM holes in it and the helium would still bleed off so slowly that it could take days for it to come down and you'd never be able to predict where. 

[Moped]

Actually Canada and Great Britain tried to shoot one down with 20mm cannon fire and both failed to bring down the same balloon.  Read that the other day. I would link it, but I can't remember where I read it.  The mind is the first thing that goes, when you get old. 

[Chucktshoes]

1 hour ago, Alleycat72 said:

My thought was we may want to lie to the enemy about the capability of our toys. 

Yeah, the truth about that stuff comes out so fast it’s pointless to even waste time lying about it. Haven’t you ever heard of the War Thunder Forums?

[Johnny Rotten]

3 hours ago, Moped said:

Actually Canada and Great Britain tried to shoot one down with 20mm cannon fire and both failed to bring down the same balloon.  Read that the other day. I would link it, but I can't remember where I read it.  The mind is the first thing that goes, when you get old. 

let me help you out gramps 

Rogue Balloon Wouldn't Fall After Jets Fired 1,000 Rounds at It 25 Years Ago (businessinsider.com)

[peejman]

23 hours ago, RED333 said:

Sub won’t submerg unless there is 500 feet of water under the hull. Seems I read the water was only 50 or so feet deep.

That would mean there are dozens of subs cruising around on the surface all over the world. 

The Kursk was 500 ft long and sank in 300 ft of water.   The Persian Gulf is only 300 ft deep.

[peejman]

Double tap

Edited February 8, 2023 by peejman

[OLDNEWBIE]

20 hours ago, Grayfox54 said:

I read in several places that those balloons operate at very low pressure.  Plus the altitude and materials are a major factor. It don't just pop like a regular toy balloon.  It was stated that you could shoot a hundred 20MM holes in it and the helium would still bleed off so slowly that it could take days for it to come down and you'd never be able to predict where. 

I would guess if you could accurately shoot holes towards the top it would vent the helium faster than the middle.

I read somewhere we were flying old U2 planes near it. Seems we need to rig one up as a balloon buster if our fighters are inadequate. There has to be a good way to deal with these things next time.

[Moped]

18 hours ago, Johnny Rotten said:

let me help you out gramps 

Rogue Balloon Wouldn't Fall After Jets Fired 1,000 Rounds at It 25 Years Ago (businessinsider.com)

Thank you, but respect your elders! 

[Whisper]

1 hour ago, OLDNEWBIE said:

I read somewhere we were flying old U2 planes near it. Seems we need to rig one up as a balloon buster if our fighters are inadequate. There has to be a good way to deal with these things next time.

Did you see the video of the F22 shooting it down?  I'm not sure how anyone would classify that as inadequate.  What better ballon buster do you want?

Cheers,

Whisper

[OLDNEWBIE]

14 minutes ago, Whisper said:

Did you see the video of the F22 shooting it down?  I'm not sure how anyone would classify that as inadequate.  What better ballon buster do you want?

Cheers,

Whisper

One that can bring it down safely but slower to preserve the payload as previously discussed.

Multiple rounds apparently don't phase it and the missile is overkill.

[Chucktshoes]

[RED333]

3 hours ago, peejman said:

That would mean there are dozens of subs cruising around on the surface all over the world. 

Under normal operating procedures, there has to be 500 feet of water under the hull before a US Navy submarine will dive.

[deerslayer]

3 hours ago, Chucktshoes said:

True, but our cell phones don't linger over USAF bases.  

China is saying the US is overreacting.  Makes me wonder if balloons are fairly routine, but we (citizens) just found out.  Also makes me wonder about all the recent UFO talk.  

[Luckyforward]

[Chucktshoes]

21 minutes ago, deerslayer said:

True, but our cell phones don't linger over USAF bases.  

China is saying the US is overreacting.  Makes me wonder if balloons are fairly routine, but we (citizens) just found out.  Also makes me wonder about all the recent UFO talk.  

Nope. They don’t have to. They move through nearly every single square inch of them in the pockets of the service members who work there. They constantly listen and record the activity on and around them the entire time as well.

[Grayfox54]

I believe that .gov banned Tik-Tok on all U.S. military and government employee's personal phones about a month or so ago. Of course there's no telling what China got before then. 

[Chucktshoes]

17 minutes ago, Grayfox54 said:

I believe that .gov banned Tik-Tok on all U.S. military and government employee's personal phones about a month or so ago. Of course there's no telling what China got before then. 

That was only applicable to government issued phones. Does not apply to personal phones. 

[Grayfox54]

I stand corrected. 

[Omega]

1 hour ago, Chucktshoes said:

That was only applicable to government issued phones. Does not apply to personal phones. 

Under SOCOM, phones and all personal devices are unauthorized in most buildings, specially if there are any classified networks in use, which is most of them on our compound.  Of course, they can learn a lot from them when outside, but it's a start.

[peejman]

10 hours ago, OLDNEWBIE said:

I would guess if you could accurately shoot holes towards the top it would vent the helium faster than the middle.

I read somewhere we were flying old U2 planes near it. Seems we need to rig one up as a balloon buster if our fighters are inadequate. There has to be a good way to deal with these things next time.

Pressure is the same in every direction.  Doesn't matter where you make holes, it will leak at the same rate. 

Normal air pressure at sea level is 14.7psi.  The air pressure at 65,000ft is about 0.8psi and the temp is about -65F.  

Flying a U2 "near it" likely meant within 10 miles. A collision between the U2 and balloon would yield a smoking hole in the ground. It flies at nearly 500mph and can't maneuver much at all at that altitude. 

Edited February 9, 2023 by peejman

[OLDNEWBIE]

20 hours ago, peejman said:

Pressure is the same in every direction.  Doesn't matter where you make holes, it will leak at the same rate. 

Normal air pressure at sea level is 14.7psi.  The air pressure at 65,000ft is about 0.8psi and the temp is about -65F.  

Flying a U2 "near it" likely meant within 10 miles. A collision between the U2 and balloon would yield a smoking hole in the ground. It flies at nearly 500mph and can't maneuver much at all at that altitude. 

Figured helium is lighter than air so top holes would vent the gas faster despite pressure issues.

No doubt accurate shooting is difficult but seems the wealth and might of the US should be able to capture a near intact payload next time. There is large swaths of barely populated land that it flew over.

Holes must make it descend somewhat right? Some gas leaks out?

Next time perhaps attempt "over land" numerous large rounds towards the top. Just keep at it. If no luck after it's Swiss cheesed then we know the missile works lol.

 

[MP5_Rizzo]

Everyone has an opinion about how the balloon situation was handled.  That's fine, it's the American way.   Anyway I stumbled across this story about an F-15 shooting down a Russian Satellite in 1985.  I would have been in college at the time and if it was public information at that time I don't remember it.  Does anybody else that was old enough remember it or read about it since?

First Space Ace

 

[Chucktshoes]

[MacGyver]

Despite being an air-to-air kill, the pilot will not get a balloon sticker to put on the side of his plane.  

[Sleep profit]

17 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

Despite being an air-to-air kill, the pilot will not get a balloon sticker to put on the side of his plane.  

Well that would be disappointing 🛩 lol