Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Aircrew Forums > Military Aviation
Reload this Page >

Chinese spy balloon over US

Military Aviation A forum for the professionals who fly military hardware. Also for the backroom boys and girls who support the flying and maintain the equipment, and without whom nothing would ever leave the ground. All armies, navies and air forces of the world equally welcome here.

Chinese spy balloon over US

Old 4th Feb 2023, 16:35
  #121 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glorious Devon
Posts: 2,625
Received 631 Likes on 370 Posts
Originally Posted by Low average
The timing is too much of a co-incidence to me. The US has finally started to call China out over Taiwan and the South China Sea. Called it a bigger threat than Russia, and has just struck a deal for bases in the Phillipines. Resistance to the slow coiling Chinese Dragon is growing.

This balloon, with its considerable payload hovering over the continental US, capable or not...is a message.
And the strategic significance of the balloon over Costa Rica. What are they up to?
Ninthace is offline  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 17:11
  #122 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: England
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
n Costa Rica exports account for around 40 percent of GDP. Costa Rica´s main exports are electronic components (18 percent of total exports), medical equipment (7.3 percent), pineapples (7 percent) and bananas (6 percent). Costa Rica´s main export partner is the United States (37 percent of total exports). Others include: Netherlands, Panama, Hong Kong and Nicaragua.

However, always rumours about secret US bases in S.America.
mikeoneflying is offline  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 17:26
  #123 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 249
Received 37 Likes on 18 Posts

Baldeep Inminj is offline  
The following 6 users liked this post by Baldeep Inminj:
Old 4th Feb 2023, 17:41
  #124 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Nevada, USA
Posts: 1,597
Received 35 Likes on 24 Posts
Biden Admin's indecisive incompetence over this all over US TV now - including comments from all the usual top commentators eg previous SecDef + various retired 3/4-stars.

Looks like they will finally be attempting a shootdown over Atlnatic.

FAA issued ground stop in area - F-22As + F-15Cs + supporting tankers scrambled




Last edited by RAFEngO74to09; 4th Feb 2023 at 17:59.
RAFEngO74to09 is offline  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 18:02
  #125 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Nevada, USA
Posts: 1,597
Received 35 Likes on 24 Posts
Live excellent quality feed on Fox News now. Probably going to be multiple 20mm gun passes by F-22A and F-15C.
Ground stop is until 1445 EST.
RAFEngO74to09 is offline  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 18:10
  #126 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glorious Devon
Posts: 2,625
Received 631 Likes on 370 Posts
Originally Posted by mikeoneflying
n Costa Rica exports account for around 40 percent of GDP. Costa Rica´s main exports are electronic components (18 percent of total exports), medical equipment (7.3 percent), pineapples (7 percent) and bananas (6 percent). Costa Rica´s main export partner is the United States (37 percent of total exports). Others include: Netherlands, Panama, Hong Kong and Nicaragua.

However, always rumours about secret US bases in S.America.
So nothing really
Ninthace is offline  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 18:24
  #127 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Frensham
Posts: 835
Received 88 Likes on 46 Posts
Originally Posted by RAFEngO74to09
Live excellent quality feed on Fox News now. Probably going to be multiple 20mm gun passes by F-22A and F-15C.
Ground stop is until 1445 EST.

Wokkafans is online now  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 18:26
  #128 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: In a van down by the river
Posts: 706
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
F-22s spraying 20mm all over Myrtle Beach. Meh, all you need is a helicopter and a box cutter
Fonsini is offline  
The following users liked this post:
Old 4th Feb 2023, 18:28
  #129 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: London
Posts: 627
Received 161 Likes on 88 Posts
BBC News reporting that Biden "is facing intense pressure domestically to shoot the object down." What is it with the Americans, thinking that the solution to every problem is to shoot it? It's not as though the US haven't flown plenty of their own weather balloons over China...
pasta is online now  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 18:39
  #130 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Nevada, USA
Posts: 1,597
Received 35 Likes on 24 Posts
Balloon splashed 1438 ET!
RAFEngO74to09 is offline  
The following users liked this post:
Old 4th Feb 2023, 18:45
  #131 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 568
Received 66 Likes on 18 Posts
Originally Posted by petit plateau
More likely …. The payload is probably just …. and a wee pump. !
That would be wasted payload. Gravity could take care of matters if the Chinese just wanted to p1$$ all over the USA!
pilotmike is offline  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 18:52
  #132 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Frensham
Posts: 835
Received 88 Likes on 46 Posts
Looked like the payload broke away when the balloon burst - that'll hit the ground hard.
Wokkafans is online now  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 18:59
  #133 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glorious Devon
Posts: 2,625
Received 631 Likes on 370 Posts
Originally Posted by Wokkafans
Looked like the payload broke away when the balloon burst - that'll hit the ground hard.
I got the same impression.
Ninthace is offline  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 19:02
  #134 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Frensham
Posts: 835
Received 88 Likes on 46 Posts
Missile strike

Wokkafans is online now  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 19:17
  #135 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Gerloz
Posts: 875
Received 27 Likes on 14 Posts
Originally Posted by Brewster Buffalo
With a proper breeding techniques and a ratio of, say, ten females to each male, I would guess that we could be back to the present gross national product within, say, 20 years.

Thank you Dr Strangelove. It won’t be difficult mein fuhrer.
MENELAUS is offline  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 19:20
  #136 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Baston
Posts: 3,196
Received 415 Likes on 191 Posts
Originally Posted by MENELAUS
Thank you Dr Strangelove. It won’t be difficult mein fuhrer.
Do you save wicked women? Save ne a few, pease.
langleybaston is offline  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 19:46
  #137 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 32,468
Received 2,594 Likes on 1,098 Posts
Probably trying to emulate Branson and be the first Chinese to circumnavigate the world in a balloon, but forgot to tell anyone.
NutLoose is offline  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 19:52
  #138 (permalink)  
sir
Basia Arma
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: button moon
Posts: 57
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
handled well IMHO, cool and collected until it was offshore then splash with a conventional regular every day weapon.
sir is offline  
Old 4th Feb 2023, 20:03
  #139 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Nevada, USA
Posts: 1,597
Received 35 Likes on 24 Posts
F-22A used an AIM-9 to shoot down the balloon.
RAFEngO74to09 is offline  
The following users liked this post:
Old 4th Feb 2023, 20:12
  #140 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Frensham
Posts: 835
Received 88 Likes on 46 Posts
Footage from another angle.


https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFoota...eb2x&context=3

Last edited by Wokkafans; 4th Feb 2023 at 21:06.
Wokkafans is online now  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.