# The Pentagon is tracking a Chinese spy balloon **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 3, 2023, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228 "2023-02-03T01:32:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 31
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/602 "2023-02-12T02:14:59Z")
China has ICBMs, you know. If they wanted to start a nuclear war against us (which they don’t), they wouldn’t do it by strapping a single warhead to a balloon and counting on the jet stream to guide it to a strategic target. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/603 "2023-02-12T02:23:42Z")
Montana UFO may be false alarm. Or the alien UFO has activated its cloaking device. > > > Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand ---
**Author:** ![WellHelloThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9dc877/32.png) [@WellHelloThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WellHelloThere)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/604 "2023-02-12T02:28:22Z")
I think the Biden Administration is reacting to these incidents due to public pressure. They were pilloried, unfairly in my opinion, for allowing the Chinese balloon to cross the US. Now, every weirdo with a telescope is calling in balloon threats to NORAD. Like geez, fine. We will shoot it down just stop calling ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/605 "2023-02-12T02:33:32Z")
Can anyone direct me to a post or info regarding HOW they shot the balloon down? Was it a gauntlet of gunfire or did they use a missile? Sorry if covered… ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/606 "2023-02-12T02:35:36Z")
How much does a warhead weigh? ---
**Author:** ![Ssounder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@Ssounder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ssounder)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/607 "2023-02-12T02:36:09Z")
IMO we all should get used to this because we’re in a learning curve while NORAD implements a more stringent Air Defense protocol. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/608 "2023-02-12T02:36:29Z")
So, every solar balloon ever launched is floating around somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![WellHelloThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9dc877/32.png) [@WellHelloThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WellHelloThere)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/609 "2023-02-12T02:41:13Z")
I believe 3 nuclear submarines launched a three pronged attack with Tridents. Gotta be sure Just kidding, Prime Minister Trudeau said it was a US F-22, source is al-Jazeera. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/610 "2023-02-12T02:44:24Z")
Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![WellHelloThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9dc877/32.png) [@WellHelloThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WellHelloThere)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/611 "2023-02-12T02:45:04Z")
This is panic. The news will not help you with this, not CNN or MSNBC or Fox. They love it for ratings. The only reason this a big deal is because everyone thinks its a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Ssounder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@Ssounder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ssounder)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/612 "2023-02-12T02:49:35Z")
[Suitcase Nuclear Device (wiki)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suitcase_nuclear_device#:~:text=A%20suitcase%20nuclear%20device%20%28also%20suitcase%20nuke%2C%20suitcase,could%20use%20a%20suitcase%20as%20its%20delivery%20method.) _A **suitcase nuclear device** (also **suitcase nuke** , **suitcase bomb** , **backpack nuke** , **snuke** , **mini-nuke** , and **pocket nuke** ) is a [tactical nuclear weapon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactical_nuclear_weapon) that is portable enough that it could use a [suitcase](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suitcase) as its delivery method._ _Both the [United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) and the [Soviet Union](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union) developed nuclear weapons small enough to be portable in specially-designed [backpacks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backpack) during the 1950s and 1960s._ Not that I think this is the motivation, but it’s possible. ---
**Author:** ![WellHelloThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9dc877/32.png) [@WellHelloThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WellHelloThere)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/613 "2023-02-12T02:53:33Z")
It is possible, sure. It is extremely unlikely. So are EMP blasts, or bio-warfare. Its just the American public getting paranoid and it being fed by the media. And the government has to shoot down balloons with with F-22s now. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/614 "2023-02-12T02:57:12Z")
I don’t know how to format a reply to myself but the F22 fired 2 AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/615 "2023-02-12T02:57:23Z")
> [@WellHelloThere](#): > > I think the Biden Administration is reacting to these incidents due to public pressure. They were pilloried, unfairly in my opinion, for allowing the Chinese balloon to cross the US. Now, every weirdo with a telescope is calling in balloon threats to NORAD. Like geez, fine. We will shoot it down just stop calling the jets in Montana were reacting to radar signatures. Not public reports ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/616 "2023-02-12T03:02:23Z")
How could a formation of US and Canadian fighter jets monitor the object over Canada for over two days still not be able to ascertain whether it’s a balloon or not? ---
**Author:** ![WellHelloThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9dc877/32.png) [@WellHelloThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WellHelloThere)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/617 "2023-02-12T03:02:49Z")
They dealt with it much more quickly due to the public reaction from the first balloon. Which, and I am not an expert I admit, would not have happened with out US media losing their god-damn minds. And social media as well ---
**Author:** ![WellHelloThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9dc877/32.png) [@WellHelloThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WellHelloThere)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/618 "2023-02-12T03:04:47Z")
Maybe it was not a threat and they only shot it down due to public pressure… ---
**Author:** ![Ssounder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@Ssounder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ssounder)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/619 "2023-02-12T03:06:12Z")
I doubt NORAD is that hard up for publicity. ---
**Author:** ![WellHelloThere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9dc877/32.png) [@WellHelloThere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WellHelloThere)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/620 "2023-02-12T03:08:52Z")
I think my point has been made. I am curious as to other theories. Seriously, like I said I am not an expert, what do you think is going on? ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/621 "2023-02-12T03:18:43Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > So, every solar balloon ever launched is floating around somewhere? At the very least I imagine nighttime would be an issue. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228.md?page=32)