The rate of return on this is phenomenal. A 53" balloon costs $9.99. You could shut down all large and medium hubs in the US for $629.37/day. The asymmetry is astounding and I'm surprised we don't defend against this kind of attack more efficiently.
I'm equally surprised we don't fend off these rampant goblin threats too! More pragmatically, such a system would cost multiple millions, and would take years to actually stabilize in a manner that would recover the fictitious costs to shutting down the airports with gaps. (i.e. I'm surprised you so easily bought into the 500k figure) All because a bunch of idiots lost track of their one balloon, once? The asymmetry…
A party balloon shut down El Paso International Airport; estimated cost –$573k
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Re: A party balloon shut down El Paso International Airport; estimated cost –$573k
#92Re: A party balloon shut down El Paso International Airport; estimated cost –$573k
#93Re: A party balloon shut down El Paso International Airport; estimated cost –$573k
#94Is this the case of radar automatic targeting unable to distinguish between a balloon and a drone. Or was this a border guy manually pulling the trigger with bad eyesight?
That's Russian levels of shooting down innocent planes. Fuck.
Re: A party balloon shut down El Paso International Airport; estimated cost –$573k
#95Earlier quoted context omitted.
99 ministros de guerra Fósforos y bidones de gasolina Se creían gente muy astuta Ya olfateaban un gran botín Gritaron: “¡Guerra!” y querían poder Hombre, ¿quién lo hubiera pensado? Que alguna vez llegaría tan lejos Por culpa de 99 globos
That doesn't rhyme at all though.
Re: A party balloon shut down El Paso International Airport; estimated cost –$573k
#96The rate of return on this is phenomenal. A 53" balloon costs $9.99. You could shut down all large and medium hubs in the US for $629.37/day. The asymmetry is astounding and I'm surprised we don't defend against this kind of attack more efficiently.
Re: A party balloon shut down El Paso International Airport; estimated cost –$573k
#97Re: A party balloon shut down El Paso International Airport; estimated cost –$573k
#98Earlier quoted context omitted.
This wasn't the military. It was DHS, who is lead by the cosplaying cowboy hat lady, so this sort of incompetence should be completely expected.
Really making you wonder why does DHS have direct access to this hardware?
Re: A party balloon shut down El Paso International Airport; estimated cost –$573k
#99Is there any reputable source for this claim? Apologies if I missed it but didn't see one linked in the article. I ask because it's not what I'd read or understood yesterday.
Re: A party balloon shut down El Paso International Airport; estimated cost –$573k
#100More alarmingly, the laser weapon was deployed before the FAA actually shut down the airspace: https://apnews.com/article/faa-el-paso-texas-air-space-close... I'd say these trigger-happy clowns chasing tough-guy optics are going to get innocent people killed, but then they already have -- multiple times.
Remember, this is the same side that espoused "meritocracy" as their number one virtue. Instead, we got a cabinet full of loyalists and fascists that decided doing joint missions between the DoD and Border Patrol was a good idea. Firing lasers at party balloons in American cities, everyone else be damned. OPSEC is clear.
Whats disturbing is how so many people on that side have completely abandoned everything they ever said about their principles and values.