Airline crews flying near Hawaii have been warned to watch for a “large white balloon” last spotted about 500 miles east of the Islands on Monday. The balloon has apparently been seen by several airline crews. “Report of large white balloon in the vicinity of 2639N15021W,” an ACARS issued Monday says. “Estimated to be between FL400 and FL500. Precise altitude unknown. Advise ATC if object is seen.” There’s been no word from the U.S. government about the sighting. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has released a selfie taken by a U-2 pilot monitoring the balloon that crossed North America two weeks ago.
The photo shows the shadow of the spy plane flying above the balloon, which was shot down off the coast of South Carolina on Feb. 4. It’s one of three photos released by the military and show just how good a look they had before taking it out with a Sidewinder missile fired from an F-22. The selfie was leaked on Tuesday by a U-2 community blog called Dragon Lady Today and the Pentagon said it was real on Wednesday and added a couple more snaps.
Life is an eternal tug-of-war where each side needs each other. Shoot it down!
“…taking it out with a Sidewinder missile…”
Why spend a few bucks on cannon shells when you can use a US$400k missile?
It turns out punching 20 mm holes into a low pressure balloon the size of an apartment building isn’t very effective. It just slowly deflates and descends over days. Almost like the USAF thought this through before choosing their weapon.
Turns the air pressure at altitude would take days to deflate the balloon. This article says in 1998 the Canadian Air Force shot up a balloon and it remained inflated.
https://theweek.com/us-military/1021008/why-the-us-used-missiles-not-cheap-bullets-to-shoot-down-chinese-balloon-3
I read somewhere that the last time they tried to shoot down a balloon, they riddled it full of holes and it just kept floating on by. So yes, they called upon past experience.
Needs more holes
Seems either me could have “buzzed” any of the balloons and let wake turbulence do its thing. A 777, even clean, should still do the job, paint the balloon on it’s door. Over land, give the civil air patrol something to search for.
If wake turbulence doesn’t work, clip the envelope with a wingtip. It’s just thin fabric…
Why did they use the most expensive (by hour) aircraft in the arsenal to shoot down these ballons?
Oh I dunno, perhaps a good opportunity for flight training, logging time, playing with missiles and targets?
…and sh*t.
Because the F-22 looks awesome; ask Hollywood directors! Besides, the USAF needs some way to justify continued F-22 operations to Congress.
Because it’s the only fighter that can get up to FL600!
It is my understanding that an F-15 can operate up to 64K, and zoom climb to maybe 98K. Could be wrong.
Flying that high requires a pressure suit, or at least it used to.
Still does. Look at the picture of the U2 over the balloon. The pilot is wearing a pressure suit helmet.
Just keep shooting them down, especially over ope waters, China wont know what happened and eventually they will stop.
They flew a U-2 over this thing? Can the USAF hang a really, really long bungee cord from it and use a C-130 to tow it to Edwards?
The U-2 can slow down to around 120 at lower altitudes, like 3000ft. But at altitude it is moving at a pretty good clip.
C130 would never make it up to 60,000 ft. That is the normal cruise altitude of the U-2. NASA802 has been training out of Dobins AFB, located just north of Atlanta. It can fly a great distance without refueling and hang out for a while. You can follow its ‘training’ tracks on FlightAware.
Someone get grandpa and his shotgun. The aliens are back.
I love the picture. Epic selfie
Getting the U-2 directly between the balloon and the sun — epic indeed!
Here’s a higher-res version of the photo (link below). This should at least end up in canvas on the squadron’s break room wall.
https://media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/rockcms/2023-02/230223-f16-balloon-mb-0857-242c94.jpg
Every other article has been about ‘DRONES’ and how great they are. Why don’t they create a high altitude Drone that captures and retrieves balloons in working order ❓
I’ll bet one of those Pico Balloon clubs can do for less then $400,000.00 😁
Balloon wars… cool idea. Send up our own to latch onto the unidentified ones.
It would have been nice to have links to the photos.
Seen over Hawaii huh?
Well I beginning to think this is a big Hullaballon about nuthin.
Now the f-22 pilot can paint a balloon beneath his canopy. lol
What is that thing on the left of the picture. Wing mirror?
Seems to me could have “buzzed” any of the balloons and let wake turbulence do its thing. A 777, even clean, should still do the job, paint the balloon on it’s door. Over land, give the civil air patrol something to search for.
If wake turbulence doesn’t work, clip the envelope with a wingtip. It’s just thin fabric…
So many “why don’t they just …” suggestions.
Like this is Huffpost of something.