Mystery objects/ Balloons over north America

[OldSolduer]

Is it not “baroon”?

 

[RangerRay]

Wouldn’t a burst from the cannon been more efficient?

 

[brihard]

Wouldn’t a burst from the cannon been more efficient?

Not sure the F-22 could make the altitude

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Wouldn’t a burst from the cannon been more efficient?

Nope. A pair of CF18 tried that a few years ago against another balloon. 1000 rds of 20mm did next to nothing…

 

[Good2Golf]

The balloon has such low pressure that an A-10 could empty its entire load of 30mm and it would keep sailing. SKT was bang on…cannon fire doesn’t do much zipping through saranwrap…

When a weather balloon went rogue almost 25 years ago, fighter jets fired 1,000 rounds at it and couldn't bring it down

 

[KevinB]

Nope. A pair of CF18 tried that a few years ago against another balloon. 1000 rds of 20mm did next to nothing…

Are we sure they hit it?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Have they even managed to get the gun on the F22 working? I understood they are still sorting out issues.

 

[KevinB]

Have they even managed to get the gun on the F22 working? I understood they are still sorting out issues.

It’s the standard M61 Vulcan 20mm
The gun never had an issue. The flip door had some early issues as sometimes it didn’t flip out of the way fast enough and a burst went through it which hurt the RCS.
I don’t think that’s been an issue for 15+ years though.

 

[McG]

Apparently these modern Chinese spy balloons are not a new thing.

Yes, Chinese Spy Balloons Flew Over The U.S. When President Trump Was In Office Too

Talking heads on cable TV were up in arms about the Chinese spy balloon that was shot down over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday. But Chinese balloons were flying over the U.S. when former President Donald Trump was in office too.

www.forbes.com

 

[The Bread Guy]

DefMin's info-machine take for the record (also archived here) ...

The Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Anita Anand, issued the following statement:

“Today, the United States took definitive action to bring down China’s high-altitude surveillance balloon that has violated U.S. and Canadian airspace and international law.

“Yesterday evening and today, the Prime Minister and I were briefed on today’s operation by the National Security and Intelligence Advisor and the Chief of the Defence Staff.

“Officials in the national security community have been working bi-nationally and Canada has been closely engaged with its U.S. counterparts on the decision and unequivocally supports the actions taken. Canada thanks the United States for its close collaboration.

“The bi-national North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has been tracking and analyzing the trajectory and actions of the high-altitude surveillance balloon.

“The cooperation between Canada and the United States through NORAD ensures the security and defense of North American air sovereignty, and we thank its members for having the watch.”

 

[Eye In The Sky]

I’m wondering what altitude the balloon was at and what altitude the Chinese will claim is “sovereign” above a country.

Thinking back to my BSOC, IIRC the UN was never able to gain a consensus and agreement and therefore it’s been left “up in the air”.

 

[RubberTree]

Is it not “baroon”?

Is it not 2023? Seriously, despite everything the CAF has been trying to do to stamp out prejudice, it's comments like this that prove there is still work to be done.
I'm embarrassed for you. Do better.
RT

 

[Jarnhamar]

DefMin's info-machine take for the record (also archived here) ...

What a word salad from the MND office.

Global Affairs is probably working on their plaque right now.

 

[OldSolduer]

Is it not 2023? Seriously, despite everything the CAF has been trying to do to stamp out prejudice, it's comments like this that prove there is still work to be done.
I'm embarrassed for you. Do better.
RT

Thank you for correcting me.

Have a nice day

 

[The Bread Guy]

What a word salad from the MND office.

#TalkingForTheSakeOfTalking

 

[armrdsoul77]

 

[Jarnhamar]

View attachment 76268

You have 4 missed calls from Paladin Press

 

[medicineman]

View attachment 76268

007...license to pop.

 

[The Bread Guy]

007...license to pop.

Or, put another way ....

 

[SeaKingTacco]

China condemns US ‘attack’ on surveillance balloon as ‘overreaction’

China condemned the U.S. military’s decision on Saturday to shoot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that flew over the U.S. last week. “China strongly disapproves of and protests …

thehill.com

The Chinese are unhappy about the shootdown.

Say, I wonder what the Chinese reaction would be to US “weather” balloons over Beijing?