Earlier quoted context omitted.
I wondered about this too. But even balloons are maneuverable in some sense, by changing their altitude. So maybe the meaning is more like "didn't maneuver in response to our presence".
> But even balloons are maneuverable in some sense, by changing their altitude. Most balloons are not equipped to actively change their bouyancy.
US jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast
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Re: US jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast
#432Earlier quoted context omitted.
No, it is just as likely to be a reporter's garbled understanding of an explanation. In mysterious matters wait until you have 2 or 3 datapoints before using a heuristic.
Agreed, but the "previous balloon" part may be unnecessary. User dTal is on the same train of thought as I was regarding the "not maneuverable" part. What other type of object exists which can fly and yet does not have the ability to maneuver?
Re: US jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast
#433latest: https://www.voanews.com/a/us-shoots-down-mysterious-high-alt... >According to the Pentagon, the object first moved into U.S. airspace late Thursday and was tracked by U.S. Northern Command as it moved over the skies of northeastern Alaska, staying consistently at about 12,000 meters (40,000 feet). >Pentagon and White House officials said U.S. planes approached the object, said to be the size of a small car, a…
Re: US jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast
#434In other news - a Richard Branson type balloon enthusiast has just gone missing in Alaska...
Re: US jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast
#435I like how the measurement unit seems to be either small cars or school busses.
Re: US jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast
#436I mean maybe I'm just not up to date on recent history, but when was the last time we shot down anything in our our airspace prior to last week?
"One of the most unusual military actions of World War II came in the form of Japanese balloon bombs, or “Fugos,” directed at the mainland United States. Starting in 1944, the Japanese military constructed and launched over 9,000 high-altitude balloons, each loaded with nearly 50 pounds of anti-personnel and incendiary explosives. Amazingly, these unmanned balloons originated from over 5,000 miles away in the Japanese home islands. After being launched, the specially designed hydrogen balloons would ascend to an altitude of 30,000 feet and ride the jet stream across the Pacific Ocean to the mainland United States. Their bombs were triggered to drop after the three-day journey was complete—hopefully over a city or wooded region that would catch fire.
Nearly 350 of the bombs actually made it across the Pacific, and several were intercepted or shot down by the U.S. military. From 1944 to 1945, balloon bombs were spotted in more than 15 states—some as far east as Michigan and Iowa. The only fatalities came from a single incident in Oregon, where a pregnant woman and five children were killed in an explosion after coming across one of the downed balloons. Their deaths are considered the only combat casualties to occur on U.S. soil during World War II."
https://www.history.com/news/5-attacks-on-u-s-soil-during-wo...
Re: US jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast
#437Earlier quoted context omitted.
I realize that, but the Hindenburg disaster happened when it landed, and a balloon that's not carrying cargo or people doesn't need to land gently. It can jettison the hydrogen before it gets too close to the ground.
Is it dangerous to fill a balloon with hydrogen if you don’t know what the fuck you’re doing? Because that’s me. Helium just seems like I’m more likely to keep my hair and eyebrows long term.
Re: US jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast
#438So what’s the deal with these balloons? Provocation? Do they think nobody will notice?
It's boundary-pushing. They're unmanned and ambient, yet are clearly a provocation and give China an information advantage over where it would be without the balloons, and in a geopolitical sense it asserts Chinese ascendency. At the same time, it's hard for the US or other powers to figure out an appropriate response. Very similar to Russian/NK/Chinese/Israeli/American state-sponsored hacking groups--it continually…
Sounds a lot like parenting a toddler.
Re: US jet shoots down unknown object flying off Alaska coast
#439F-22 entered service 2005 Air to air kills since entered service: 2005-2022: 0 2023: 2