Suspected Chinese spy balloon being tracked by Pentagon over MT

[superpatriotman]

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/suspected-chinese-spy-balloon-found-northern-us-rcna68879

The U.S. military has been monitoring a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that has been hovering over the northern U.S. for the past few days, and military and defense leaders have discussed shooting it out of the sky, according to two U.S. officials and a senior defense official.

“The United States government has detected and is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now,” Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told NBC News. “We continue to track and monitor it closely.”

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/02/politics/us-tracking-china-spy-balloon/index.html

While the balloon’s current flight path carries it over “a number of sensitive sites,” the official said it does not present a significant intelligence gathering risk.

The balloon is assessed to have “limited additive value” from an intelligence collection perspective, the official said.

“The balloon is currently traveling at an altitude well above commercial air traffic and does not present a military or physical threat to people on the ground,” Ryder said, adding that the US military decided against shooting the balloon down.

The official said the US government has engaged with the Chinese government both through the Chinese embassy in Washington and the US diplomatic mission in China.

[48656c6c6f20]

1. Did not have Chinese Spy Balloon on my 2023 bingo card

[dalton99a]

2. Should have shot it down when it crossed our airspace

Shoot it down before it goes back to China

[Irish_Dem]

5. There is a reason the US doesn't want to shoot it down?

[GoCubsGo]

7. Because they're worried about the safety of people on the ground.

That thing is the size of 3 buses. I'm surprised they don't have some sort of drone that can go up and retrieve it. Or, at least push it into an uninhabited area, where they can then shoot it down.

[roamer65]

22. +1000

[jls4561]

3. If it drifted in over Alaska why didn't Sarah Palin see it from her house?

[Irish_Dem]

4. I seriously doubt this is the first spy balloon in the US?

[GoCubsGo]

9. It's not.

ABC said tonight that the Chinese have been sending these things over the span of multiple administrations. Which means at least Obama, and probably Dumbya, at the very least.

[Irish_Dem]

10. Of course the US never uses military balloons.

[TheRealNorth]

14. We have spy satelities....

But I would have thought the Chineese would have those too. Unless they needed to have 24/7 eyes over a particular area.

[Irish_Dem]

15. The US has high altitude spy balloons for use over China and Russia too.

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/07/06/us-military-balloons/

The US has been flying reconnaissance jets over Russia and China for decades.
Gary Powers was shot down in 1960 flying a CIA U-2.

Also reconnaissance aircraft flew over China during the Viet Nam war.

[LiberalFighter]

6. Canada didn't do anything about it?

[Throck]

8. 99 Red Balloons?

[Hermit-The-Prog]

20. Still love that song; still can't explain exactly why

[walkingman]

11. We are always looking for a reason to start some shit - we have only been out of Afgan

for about a year - we cannot tolerate peace. It is not in our DNA.

[EYESORE 9001]

12. Deploy the space laser!

You know the one I mean

[Coventina]

16. Oy Oy, sir!!

[EYESORE 9001]

21. Missile tov

[Silent3]

13. Is Chinese spy satellite tech good enough to not bother with balloons?

Maybe not.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

17. Satellite are only available over an area for a limited amount of time

Their orbits can also be tracked, so things can be timed so nothing can be seen while the satellite is overhead. Adjusting an orbit can be done by some, but that requires fuel, fuel that is of limited quantity and cannot be replaced. A balloon can loiter over an area and be a bit more unpredictable in its heading than a satellite. The downsides to satellites are the reason we still have spy planes and recon drones like the Global Hawk.

[Silent3]

18. I figured that there were enough spy satellites up there...

...that when one moved out of view, another moved into view. But yes, even so, I imagine balloons might have their advantages.

In this case being more stealthy and unpredictable, however, didn't go so well.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

19. Well no it did not

Ita pretty obvious. Not sure what sort of radar return a balloon gives off, but I'm guessing it's pretty conspicuous. I'd be looking elsewhere to just in case they are pulling a "hey look over here" act.