U.S. military experts suggest explosion in Montana sky linked to self-destruction of Chinese balloon after intelligence gathering

Videos from the state of Montana appeared on American social networks, showing an explosion and a trail in the sky. It is alleged that the video was filmed several hours ago and is associated with a Chinese balloon, which the Pentagon called a reconnaissance vehicle.

Initially, it was reported that the Joe Biden administration ordered the military to ban shooting down a balloon, as this could lead to "risk to people on the ground." Now, in connection with the explosion filmed on video, there are speculations about whether the decision of the US presidential administration could change.

There were suggestions: the Chinese balloon was either shot down, or a version of its self-destruction worked, moreover, after it, according to some American experts, managed to transfer to the operators all the necessary information about military bases in a number of US states, including the state of Montana.

At the same time, suggestions were made that the Chinese air object was still shot down by American air defense. Such an assumption was made a few hours after it was announced that the United States may simply not have effective means capable of shooting down such objects at altitudes of 20 km without risks to the lives of people on the ground and for civilian aircraft.

American journalists asked the governor of Montana about the causes of the explosions and what it was all about. Gregory Gianforte stated that he did not have specific data and that he himself learned about the explosion in the sky "just now."

Meanwhile, military experts in the United States believe that if this was a self-destruction of a Chinese probe, then this is a bad signal for the American air defense system. After all, it turns out that China has every opportunity for the entry of devices into the airspace of the United States, including for collecting intelligence information. And it also has the ability to prevent the equipment from falling into the hands of the US military, for example, as a result of the interception of the probe.

However, there is no official confirmation that it was the Chinese balloon that exploded.

Comments

[marchcat]

For the third day in a row, discussing hot air balloons in the sky over the states - this still needs to be managed.
There were demons - but they self-destructed (Ivan Vasilyevich)

[Silver99]

The United States once again stepped on its own ...... when they signed an agreement on flights in the stratosphere (near space) 50 km, they thought to themselves, and now any object shot down there creates a precedent IT IS POSSIBLE to shoot down all Elon Musk's satellites with its broadband Internet for the APU. The Chinese comrades did well, wiped their noses with the Yankees, even the mossy warrior Blinken sat up in the toilet and canceled his visit to China.

[Stas157]

Quote from Silver99

when they signed an agreement on flights in the stratosphere (near space) 50 km, they thought to themselves, and now any object shot down there creates a precedent YOU CAN shoot down all Ilon's satellites

So Musk's satellites have at least 350 km orbit height, according to Wikipedia.

[Ezekiel 25-17]

It's about legal precedent; if the Americans shot down something in near space, then who is stopping us, from the point of view of Anglo-Saxon law, and it is precedent, to declare space over Ukraine a closed zone and start shooting down everything we can reach there.

[antiquity]

Law remains a "spherical horse in a vacuum" if not
1. technologies
2. testicle
China seems to have everything.
I imagine how some deceived citizen will break out in a cold sweat if he is offered to send a probe. To USA!

[Politician]

But what if we hang several of these "balls" over Ukraine, for example, to jam or change the signal for the same Musk satellites

[Ezekiel 25-17]

The absence of some iron objects, which are the pride of every MAN. In addition: the lack of developments on this topic.

[Lech from Android.]

Quote: marchcat

For the third day in a row, discussing hot air balloons in the sky over the states - this still needs to be managed.

There is something to discuss here ... the Chinese masterfully circled the Americans around their fingers ... I am delighted.

[BARKAS]

Now there will also be demand for Chinese balloons in the world, the guys will be able to earn money if they use it correctly. The moment is right.

[Vrotkompot]

Movie Don't Look Up

[Monster_Fat]

We also have air defense systems practicing firing at balloons, parachutes, etc. So, there can be ordinary exercises. Or the liquidator of some rocket worked itself. Why just something Chinese? Obviously, the psychosis there began about the "intrigues" of the new appointed enemy, China.

[blackGRAIL]

Taken from FighterBomber:

Heh.
Here is the thing. These balloons fly very high. In the stratosphere

They barely reflect the radio signal, so they almost never shot down with radar-guided air defense missiles and no one, they are fucked next in line from the cannon, because they have a cellular structure and need a special anti-aerostatic projectile, the feature of which was an ultra-sensitive fuse capable of cocking from touching the thinnest shell balloon.
And their presence on aircraft is a big question. In the USSR, special aircraft were allocated for the destruction of the ADA, and special litaks with special weapons were developed.

Well, the most effective (and in fact the only) method remains an attack with IR seeker missiles in an attempt to capture the side of the balloon heated by the Sun.

All the talk that the Americans do not want to shoot him down is, of course, nonsense.
They can not. Nothing.
Either the characteristics of the weapons of the litaks do not allow, or the skill of the pilots.

But once again I will repeat. Balloons, this is a very difficult target. And if ordinary residents of the United States did not see this Chinese probe, the Pentagon would pretend that nothing had happened.

Now try to sort it out and explain how the first army of the planet cannot shoot down an enemy balloon over the country.

[svp67]

Quote: marchcat

For the third day in a row, discussing hot air balloons in the sky over the states - this still needs to be managed.

So this is what a "tap on the nose" of the "almighty" USA. When they also "trolled" the USSR, and now, after a few decades, they themselves were defenseless against "balls in the sky"

[Blacksmith 55]

So this is the smoke from the chimney :-)))))))
It's winter in America too.

But if all the same they shot down, then after all, the wreckage also poses a danger to the population.
The same goes for self-destruction.
And it doesn't say where they landed.
But I think the Americans are now in search, you have to see what the Chinese stuffed there.

[voice of reason]

Well, almost Matthias Rust. A huge balloon dangles in the sky, and the country's airmen talk about the danger of "wreckage" and the prezik administration is forced to comment and make excuses. Leaky air defense of the great hamburger power.

[Azim77]

This century brings amazing events. If in the last century they were striving for metal, speed, armor, now small drones, balloons are turning into more effective means for some tasks. The same ball, due to radio transparency and incombustibility, is difficult to defeat. And if you run hundreds of them?

[blackGRAIL]

Kirov reporting!

Sorry, I'm not smart enough to write a normal comment

[rotmistr60]

the Chinese balloon was either shot down or the version of its self-destruction worked

In any case, the Chinese got their way - they received intelligence information, and the Americans were punched in the nose.

[Silver99]

By the way, this showed the effectiveness of balloons, as in the First World War, there are no means of fighting against them, if you want to hang the camera, but if you want a small nuclear charge and the vaunted US air defense will be a spectator.

[blackGRAIL]

All the same, there are means (in the sense that they are known to science) - they are not available, because. they are very highly specialized: from ammunition to the aircraft itself. A little higher comment from FighterBomber about this.

[75 Sergey]

If this is a purposeful action, then the Chinese leadership has balls of steel, even the USSR did not allow itself this, although the States flew on planes, and they had such probes like hello.

[sub307]

[quote=marc
There were demons - but they self-destructed (Ivan Vasilyevich) [/ quote]
But in fact: meet Monttanaaaaaa ......

[Bingo]

In short, they lowered the minke whales below the plinth)))
Guys, how will you trade your air defense now? In the dark, like on a minuscule ace in the draw?

[Vladimir80]

Laughed, joked, worked...
In fact, balloons are no longer used for reconnaissance, since satellites are many times more efficient (they fly where they need to, and not where air currents will carry them at an incomprehensible time), and even in Soviet times, balloons were a very difficult target, both for detection (due to the applied materials) and for destruction (even special modifications of interceptors with guns were built)

[blackGRAIL]

And yet. Airplanes of the open sky. After the US withdrew from the treaty, "closed skies" balloons could become Russia's elegant response to the constant overflights by NATO reconnaissance of our borders. Fly no longer around, but over the territory of the United States and Europe, accept their protests and concerns and declare with a smile their exclusively peaceful orientation.

[Pasus]

But you can deliver "goodies to friends" by balloon

[svp67]

Quote: Vladimir80

In fact, balloons are no longer used for reconnaissance, since satellites are many times more efficient

No, you are wrong here. Their efficiency is the same, it’s another matter that all this is very costly and it’s easier to spend money on the development of one thing, but the space industry is still more multifunctional and the launch vehicle that “throws” a “spy” satellite into orbit can also "throw" a commercial satellite there, making a profit

Quote: Vladimir80

and not where the air currents will carry at an incomprehensible time

And here you need to be able to use them, periodically changing the height and finding the flow of the desired direction

[pavel.typingmail.com]

The Chinese just checked how the Americans can bring down an object for a large

[Fedor Rashkin]

History repeats itself.
In the 50s the Americans were a nightmare or the USSR probes. Similar balloons that photographed the territory of the USSR.
Allegedly scientific and studied the weather.
Considering that the winds usually blow from west to east, they were caught over the Pacific Ocean.
On Hercules, special traps were set up to catch probes.
It was well described in the book. US covert flights.
And now they couldn’t bring down the probe over themselves .... Not those people ..)

[svp67]

Meanwhile, military experts in the United States believe that if this was a self-destruction of a Chinese probe, then this is a bad signal for the American air defense system.

Yes, the USSR, at one time was forced to create a special aircraft to deal with such "balls" ... "Myasishchev-17" "Stratosphere"

I think that the Americans, if they wish, can arm any of the remaining U-2s for the same purpose

[blackGRAIL]

With balloons, there is still a problem with their detection - they reflect the radio signal very weakly. Especially considering modern advances in stealth technologies. They are easier to notice visually and by chance.

[Grits]

Quote: svp67

Yes, the USSR, at one time was forced to create a special aircraft to deal with such "balls" ... "Myasishchev-17" "Stratosphere"

I think our MiG-31 will cope with this task.

[Volga073]

The video seems to show that the ball continues to fly even after the launch and explosion of an air defense missile

[Irek]

No, they obviously shot down, called for help ....

[Lionnvrsk]

Quote: Irek

called for help...

Who was called? Skakuasov?
These can! They shouted that it was they who rushed the Server Stream, then they convinced Iran that it was they who punished him for supplying Shahids.
True, their victory almost always turns into evil ....

[Alien From]

And I remembered Lyova from fishing)))

[Pasus]

I wonder if this balloon can only be detected visually?
After all, it has no thermal and electromagnetic radiation, and for radar frequencies it is probably invisible?

[Prisoner]

The Chinese arranged for the pins to hang around.

[Grits]

And what was possible?
I propose to start launching such probes in batches from Kamchatka.

[antiquity]

Quote: svp67

Yes, the USSR, at one time was forced to create a special aircraft to deal with such "balls" ... "Myasishchev-17" "Stratosphere"

They even did that. This is what technological backwardness looks like.
Or is it just galoshes?
sadly

[evgen1221]

I would like to believe that the Chinese sprayed their military chemistry over the states in this way. In retaliation for the coronovirus.