Suspected Chinese spy balloon found over northern U.S.

U-2 Spy Planes Snooped On Chinese Surveillance Balloon
U-2 Dragon Ladies had the ability to actually fly above the balloon and gather multiple types of intelligence about it from its perch.

"The U.S. Air Force's U-2S Dragon Lady spy planes were among the assets tapped to monitor and collect intelligence on a Chinese government surveillance balloon during its recent trip across parts of the continental United States and Canada. An F-22 Raptor stealth fighter finally shot down the balloon with an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday, and efforts are now underway to recover the wreckage from the Atlantic Ocean. Readers of The War Zone can first get up to speed on what we already know about this incident, and its conclusion, in our past reporting here.

A U.S. defense official confirmed the use of the U-2S as part of the broader response to the Chinese spy balloon to The War Zone today. It's not immediately clear all the points along the balloon's voyage that U-2s were present."
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https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/u-2-spy-planes-snooped-on-chinese-surveillance-balloon

 

I'm glad Bono is on our side

 

I think it would have be interesting to see where it was going next and to see the next country it encountered reactions.

Who hurt you? We can dialogue without cheap shots about intellect. Not everyone is on your level.

 

North Korean balloon briefly spotted over South Korea, Seoul says

SEOUL, Feb 6 (Reuters) - South Korea's military said on Monday it had tracked a North Korean balloon over its territory, but determined it did not pose a threat.

The balloon briefly entered South Korean airspace on Sunday, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement, adding it in response had taken unspecified “measures”.

The craft left South Korean airspace a few hours later and officials believe it was a weather balloon not one intended for spying activities, Yonhap news agency reported, citing an unnamed official.

The report comes after the United States shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon, further straining relations with Beijing which said the craft was a civilian airship that had accidentally strayed into U.S. airspace.

Tensions have risen between the two Koreas, with the North conducting a record number of missile tests last year, and the South joining with U.S. allies in military shows of force.

Five North Korean drones crossed into the South on Dec. 26, including one that briefly entered a no-fly zone surrounding South Korea's presidential office, prompting South Korea's military to scramble fighter jets and helicopters.

The military was criticised for failing to bring down the drones, which flew over the South for hours.

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-...potted-over-south-korea-seoul-says-2023-02-06

 

I've never said I was smarter than anyone else. I just live in reality and you live in an alternative universe. I'm all for calling balls and strikes. I've said Pete buttigieg handling of the airline crisis was pathetic. He's proved by the media because he's a think tank corporate shill.

I'm all for bashing biden and dnc policies when the need calls for it. The problem with you and all the right wingers @basso is you live in a right wing ecosystem bubble. You just post conspiracies and more bs.

 

Serious question: Are we about to have a steampunk world war?

[DIVOT]

 

The argument we can't shoot down a spying device because it might hit some Okie's roof basically opens the door for any country to send whatever surveillance planes on over to spy on us because we will never shoot them down due to safety concerns of debris.

It doesn't hold water. No one even lives in Montana. Fact.

 

Literally the same bozos..........unless you think it is the presidents job to watch RADAR screens all day.

 

The president nominates the head of NSA/CIA and defense secretary. It's on the president for any lapses in intelligence. Period.

Will burns the current CIA head brought in his own spies when he got hired and they helped uncover the Russian invasion. Personal matter.

 

This is speculation on my part but I have a hard time thinking the whole USAF was unaware of giant balloons possibly spying on the US during the Trump years. My guess is that they were spotted and noted but not considered enough of a threat to be related up higher the chain of command.

There clearly is a record of them otherwise the Biden Administration wouldn’t be able to bring them up.

Even so I still don’t think they represent such a danger to the US as to be a critical oversight by the last Administration or the current one.

 

So if it isn't detected is that the head guys problem or the current detection abilities?

 

China to Dr s Russia 99 balloons to help them against Ukraine.

 

What? Speak in non-maga...thanks.

 

I'm kind of interested in what changed that made the previous incidents occur below the cultural awareness threashold, while this one was SO headline-news-worthy and captivating, totally dominating the news for a few days. There are a whole range of reasons that cover the gambit from totally random events to innocent differences in the situstions. I assume these are most likely, but natural paranoia leaves me uneasy about ignoring the unlikely options.

I would like to understand the journey to this story exploding into a big deal, but I just dont.

Honestly, based on reactions, I wonder if during the previous incidents, they didnt make a big deal in the press, hecause they genuinely didnt think it was a "big deal" thry could use to damage Trump, while Rs are naturally more outraged the affront of at having to wait couple of days to shoot it down.

Maybe the "Trump ballons" going below the rsdar reslly just show how poor the Ds are at seizing their oppoetunities to create wedges against the other side as the opposition.

 

I'd settle for a rocket pack if we're not getting flying cars anytime soon.

It's a big deal if only to add another thing on the list of reasons to hate China.

Trump was seen as blowing the whistle against China, so the balloons would've helped his argument even though he was genuinely trying to secure better trade deals with China in private. The climate then was that Dems were gung ho against Russian aggression after the hacks and Hillary's implosion while being lukewarm to China if only not to give Trump any credit or standing. Maybe there wasn't much to gain for either side to leak the balloons?

Even before Biden took office, folks here were already calling him China's lackey or pointing out Hunter's work with Chinese companies. The reaction now is fairly predictable in its consistency by both sides.

Ofc, now it justifies adding another hundred billion to defense in order to build a 20,000 ft air border wall or yet another cynically unironic dipshit boondoggle.

 

except we know this is not true (see above).