# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Sooner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sooner/32/7875_2.png) [@Sooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sooner)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/81 "2023-02-03T21:14:25Z")
Fair enough, but fairly sure F-22 can only carry air to air missiles, and guided bombs. Other fighters can carry Maverick missiles for anti-tank work and such, but no where near that height with a weapons load. And I am doubtful the fuze would see it as a target, but that is only a guess on my part. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/82 "2023-02-03T21:19:58Z")
> [@Sooner](#): > > Fair enough, but fairly sure F-22 can only carry air to air missiles, and guided bombs. Wait, the F-22 has no ground attack capabilities? That’s… stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/83 "2023-02-03T21:23:36Z")
The F-22 was designed to be purely an air superiority fighter. And while they usually are loaded out only for air to air, they can carry bombs too. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/84 "2023-02-03T21:28:57Z")
“That’s no balloon.” “I’ve got a bad feeling about this…” ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/85 "2023-02-03T21:30:35Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Can’t they send a space cowboy up there to lasso the balloon and drag it back to earth for study? [![](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1582/15828986/3909012-edward-shinichiro-watanabes-cowboy-bebop-anime.jpg) ](https://www.gamespot.com/a/uploads/original/1582/15828986/3909012-edward-shinichiro-watanabes-cowboy-bebop-anime.jpg) Space Cowboy uh? How much is the reward? ---
**Author:** ![CaveMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cavemike/32/16379_2.png) [@CaveMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaveMike)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/86 "2023-02-03T21:31:16Z")
Seems like many of these suggestions would reveal more about the US capabilities then just letting it float around. Particularly if the balloon was intended to invoke and assess a response. Or am I being needlessly paranoid? ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/87 "2023-02-03T21:33:03Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > The who idea of a spy balloon seems ridiculous. No it’s not. Especially since it is tracking a course over military facilities that have been known to house rockets that may be aimed at other countries. The military said the path seems quite specific and it is not just following the course of the jet stream. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/88 "2023-02-03T21:58:21Z")
Balloons are so difficult to steer and so obviously visible that this is almost certainly an accident. The only thing that seems significant is that the Chinese released a very large balloon in a location where it could have accidentally travelled over the USA; that suggests that they aren’t scared of offending anyone any more. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/89 "2023-02-03T21:59:53Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > Especially since it is tracking a course over military facilities that have been known to house rockets that may be aimed at other countries. All of which can be seen quite plainly on Google Earth. ---
**Author:** ![EastUmpqua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eastumpqua/32/6025_2.png) [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/90 "2023-02-03T22:05:43Z")
> [@eburacum45](#): > > Balloons are so difficult to steer and so obviously visible that this is almost certainly an accident. Balloons are hard to steer. Upper level winds at a given altitude aren’t that hard to predict. Current weather models do that all the time. Is this thing visible from the ground during the day? ---
**Author:** ![EastUmpqua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eastumpqua/32/6025_2.png) [@EastUmpqua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EastUmpqua)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/91 "2023-02-03T22:08:43Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Maybe it’s Ron DeSantis’s trial balloon. > [@CalMeacham](#): > > All the more reason to shoot it down. Do these kinds of comments add anything to this discussion? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/92 "2023-02-03T22:16:38Z")
Is [**Falcon Heene**](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_boy_hoax) accounted for? [Yeah. My town. You’ve gotta’ love it…] ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/93 "2023-02-03T22:22:44Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > The Chinese are sending an unsubtle message of “We can overfly your country any time we want carrying anything we want. Neener neener!” This was my thought as well. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/94 "2023-02-03T22:23:41Z")
Now there’s one in my neck of the woods… > **[‘Chinese spy balloon’ spotted in NE Kansas](https://www.kwch.com/2023/02/03/chinese-balloon-reportedly-spotted-ne-kansas/)** > > As the Pentagon continues to track a balloon believed to be surveillance from China across the United States, sightings have been made in the Midwest. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/95 "2023-02-03T22:29:19Z")
The idea that China can’t steer a balloon is not credible. Google figure out how to do it over a decade ago (project Loon) and spun off a company from the project. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/96 "2023-02-03T22:37:39Z")
A company that is now defunct, after tens of crashed balloons all over the world. > **[Loon LLC | Incidents](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loon_LLC#Incidents)** > > 1.On May 29, 2014, a Loon balloon crashed into power lines in Washington, United States. | > 2.On June 20, 2014, New Zealand officials briefly scrambled emergency services personnel when a Loon balloon came down. | > 3.In November 2014, a South African farmer found a crashed Loon balloon in the Karoo desert between Strydenburg and Britstown. | > 4.On April 23, 2015, a Loon balloon crashed in a field near Bragg City, Missouri. | > 5.On September 12, 2015, a Loon balloon crashed in the ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/97 "2023-02-03T22:38:56Z")
Which of those things say you can’t navigate a balloon? ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/98 "2023-02-03T22:52:11Z")
Most tellingly, the fact that Google don’t use this system any more. Note as well that Google relied upon data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which I somehow doubt that is available to the Chinese (although I may be wrong, in which case the NOAA are to be congratulated on their openness). It seems likely that the Chinese are simply sending up large numbers of these balloons; they have been seen over Japan, Hawaii and the Andaman Islands, and they could easily wander over the mainland US. Perhaps there are spy instruments on board - but it seems unlikely that there are cameras, or that the balloons are being accurately steered. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/99 "2023-02-03T23:06:40Z")
I mourn MTG’s revealing the Jewish Space Lasers, rendering them useless. On a different topic, it is quite windy and if I had a balloon it would likely be off-course. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/100 "2023-02-03T23:14:40Z")
It was in NE KS at 9:30 and it showed up in St Louis around 2:30. That’s about how long it would take me to drive there. > **[Tracking the possible Chinese balloon over Missouri](https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/tracking-the-possible-chinese-balloon-over-missouri/)** > > ST. LOUIS, Mo. — On Wednesday, a huge balloon thought to be from China was seen over Billings, Montana. US officials are tracking it as it flies over the continental United States. Chances ar… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228.md?page=6)