Originally Posted by
Jetstream67
WHAT IF
Brainstorming meeting comes up with an annoying flotilla of 'peacefully lost' weather balloons just out of reach of standard air defence weapons and loaded with sensors to track any response/action
Hmmm, but if it really is at 60k it is not out of reach of 'standard' A2A Equipment. In any case if someone really feels the urge to shoot it down it might be a good idea to do it as KISS (and thereby as little revealing) as possible, e.g.. gun of a fighter. I would not try a Patriot and then not hitting it thereby giving away limitations of current relevant systems. That is about the only useful information i can conceive which China could take from this.