Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

dgdio t1_j8y6r86 wrote

If I were Raytheon I'd be giving every kid in China a balloon that could make it make it to the USA.

83

rexspook t1_j8y7nze wrote

It’s a 32” balloon. I thought the military stated the objects were about the size of a car? Seems like a stretch

26

tugrumpler t1_j8y8aqr wrote

You have your own weather balloon?

not any more..

27

jayfeather31 t1_j8y9kmk wrote

So, we spent $400,000 to down a $12 balloon, not counting everything else that went into the firing of the missile.

JFC.

19

alexxerth t1_j8ya7xu wrote

Don't you need to register these sort of things with the FAA if they're flying in commercial flight paths?

22

JenMacAllister t1_j8yevzf wrote

I wonder what happened to the other 98 Luftballons?

29

Coke_Addict26 t1_j8yhj8m wrote

That's about what I expected. They allowed our air space to be violated and got embarrassed, so then they got trigger happy to say "see we are keeping you safe".

−6

Korith_Eaglecry t1_j8yhzjb wrote

Ask yourself this. They made a big show of force shooting down the Chinese balloon and the other 3 objects. Why are they willing to take an L here PR wise by admitting they shot a god damn mylar birthday balloon out of the sky? That screams incompetence and an absolute lack of ability to protect the nation. You can accept their answers. Buy I'm suspicious of this whole thing. I don't think it's aliens. But I'm having a hard time believing for 3 days straight they were just blasting trash out of the sky, and no one had the common sense to put a stop to the panic shooting over our skies.

−3

africanasshat t1_j8yiikv wrote

That kid didn’t know it yet but he got taught an early lesson in life.

1

dvdmaven t1_j8yjfow wrote

One out of three may have been?

1

BuffaloInCahoots t1_j8yjwvr wrote

The first one was shot down when it needed to be, we definitely wanted to take a look at it and it clearly wasn’t a weather balloon. This one might not have needed to be shot down but everyone’s on high alert now. Also the cost is pointless, it’s good training and we spent way way more on stupider things.

11

wascilly_wabbit t1_j8yl4zg wrote

> Pico balloons are typically about 3 ft. in diameter on the ground before they are launched. As they ascend to altitudes of 20,000-50,000 ft., the super-pressure balloon envelope expands by about 2-3 times in size and achieves neutral buoyancy, allowing them to float at a roughly consistent altitude

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/hobby-clubs-missing-balloon-feared-shot-down-usaf

28

DeviousAardvark t1_j8ynqu0 wrote

So to clarify, this is the 2ND ballon that entered Alaskan airspace that was shot down after the first one that was confirmed to be a spy balloon. Very misleading title

2

adeadfreelancer t1_j8yovs6 wrote

It's security theatre/propaganda. Create a thing for the country to be scared about so that they're more likely to be on your side when it comes time for something fucked up. This panic just screams of the "alert level color system"

7

BuffaloInCahoots t1_j8yyhlw wrote

The high alert was the main reason. The training and wasteful money was to counter the cost of shooting it down. I don’t know how much is grandstanding by gov officials but until recently they all seemed pretty concerned about it. Also the balloon was at an altitude that could interfere with planes, so we shot it down. Didn’t really cost us anything and gave some pilot a little training. The only thing that concerns me is now the whole world knows our capabilities. We can accurately track and shoot down a balloon sized object, with a almost no existent radar signature. I’m undecided if that’s a bad thing or a good thing for everyone to know.

2

euchrebot t1_j8z1lx1 wrote

So Illinois is spying on Canada is what I got from this.

3

Coke_Addict26 t1_j8z7w3h wrote

What are you on about? I'm pretty sure the will of the people would be to shoot down the Chinese "weather balloon" on the Pacific side of the continent. Not the Atlantic after it crossed all the way over. Am I officially not allowed to complain anymore like it's the Soviet Union? I missed that memo.

−5

Dynasuarez-Wrecks t1_j8za060 wrote

This is what $150,000 of flight time accomplishes. Best equipped military in the world. Much wow.

−1

Coke_Addict26 t1_j8zas7i wrote

And you don't see a problem with that? The whole point of democracy is we get to judge if the elected leaders are doing a good job or not. And some guy in Montana spotting a hostile aircraft before NORAD does is a problem. Or if they saw it coming and did nothing, I'm not sure which is worse. The bottom is anyone with critical thinking can see plenty to complain about here.

−2

euchrebot t1_j8zdogx wrote

There are many things the government doesn’t make public in order to not reveal intel capabilities to adversaries.

Are you aware of the progress of Russian hypersonic missile developments or Iran’s nuclear program? Even as we speak, Ayatollah Razmara and his cadre of fanatics are consolidating their power!

4

HumpieDouglas t1_j8zkhcp wrote

Some colored gas and a big balloon and the gender reveals are gunna be lit AF!

7

Rosebunse t1_j8zpvaf wrote

Is anyone else surprised these things don't get shot down more often?

1

JOWWLLL t1_j8zrg2r wrote

Meanwhile, at the Pentagon:

Colonel: PRIVATE! Our Commander-in-Chief needs answers about that commie chy-na balloon. Where's that spreadsheet?

Private: Yes sir. Right here, sir.

Very good. Tell me, how much did logistics, jet fuel, salaries, and that one fancy missile cost the American people?

*tap tap tap tap* $1,200.000.00, sir.

And how much did those toilet seats we ordered last week cost us, apiece?

*tap tap* ... *tap tap tap tap* $18,000.00.

YOU WILL ADDRESS ME AS SIR!

Sir Yes Sir! Sorry, Sir! $18,000.00 Sir!

That's better. Now. How much to manufacture those seats?

*tap tap tap* 18 cents, sir.

Given these figures, what is your conclusion? Speak freely.

Well sir, for decades the military has paid our suppliers orders of magnitude more for toilet seats than they should have, and nobody cares. I see no need to worry about cost overruns here.

Private, you are a goddamn genius! I thank you, and our President thanks you. You have a bright future as a loyal and obedient member of the United States Military.

Sir, thank you, Sir. I have one more question, if I may?

Go ahead, private.

There's the small matter of reimbursing that hobbyist $20.00 for his bal-

DISMISSED!!!!!

6

DFWPunk t1_j8zsb08 wrote

Or it may not have been since those balloons get lost all the time.

1

One_Hand_Smith t1_j900qfy wrote

Let's be honest it wasn't because of planes, if it was you don't wait until it crosses the entire continental usa to down it lol.

I think it was just pr personally, lil bit of political capital can go a long way if used correctly, and if there is one thing america wants on china, is political power.

0

BuffaloInCahoots t1_j900ywf wrote

I should have been specific the danger to planes was the one in Alaska. If I remember right it was at 20k which is in flight range. The one that crossed the states was at 60-70k and would only have been a danger once we shot it down.

1

girlyopticks t1_j90g279 wrote

Wtf is going on? How could they not know this already?! I’m honestly not believing any of this . This whole thing feels staged

1

KimJongIlSunglasses t1_j90k27i wrote

What are there amateur weather balloon hobbyists? Wtf kind of hobby is that?

And your telling me $12 pays for a 30 foot balloon?

1

alrighty66 t1_j90vkco wrote

And what was the price tag on that stunt?

1

Toolatetootired t1_j91ld1y wrote

What you are saying has merit but is missing quite a bit of detail. The one that they didn't shoot down (until it crossed the entirety of the United States) was huge and loaded with technology capable of spying on the US. These ones they did shoot down were likely hobby balloons.

So they did nothing while we were spied on; queue public outcry.

Then they wasted a lot of money and effort to blow up something to try to distract us from their inaction the first time around; queue public outcry.

The details matter.

0

ctiger12 t1_j91tkcb wrote

Whoever claims those balloons will be charged for FAA violations, right?

1