# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/101 "2023-02-03T23:19:09Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > The Chinese are sending an unsubtle message of “We can overfly your country any time we want carrying anything we want. Neener neener!” Well, clearly the thing to do is send one of our spy balloons over China and see how _they_ shoot it down, and then do that! ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/102 "2023-02-03T23:20:58Z")
Trained falcons. With nuclear “devices.” Problem solved, and you’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/103 "2023-02-03T23:22:30Z")
Nuclear falcons, you say? > **[AIM-26 Falcon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-26_Falcon)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > The AIM-26 Falcon was a larger, more powerful version of the AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missile built by Hughes. It is the only guided American air-to-air missile with a nuclear warhead to be produced; the unguided AIR-2 Genie rocket was also nuclear-armed. > Starting in 1956 Hughes Electronics began the development of an enlarged version of the GAR-1D Falcon that would carry a nuclear warhead. It was intended to provide a sure kill in attacks on Sovi... ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/104 "2023-02-03T23:32:23Z")
> [@dougrb](#): > > Now there’s one in my neck of the woods… Same ~~[cow](http://movies.galagif.com/2bed01c2c8897ec11b2fe16421c33f7e/Brian27s+Movie+GIFs+7C+Cow..mp4)~~ balloon. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/105 "2023-02-03T23:34:29Z")
What’s to worry about? [Perjury Traitor Greene wants her supporters to shoot the thing down](https://www.rawstory.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-spy-balloon/). You’ll notice that she “cleverly” got in a dig at President Biden, using a very Tan the Conman-esque nickname. Oh, and she completely ignored the fact that the reason our current and legitimate, not to mention intelligent, president has not shot the thing down is to avoid injuring Americans ---
**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, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/106 "2023-02-03T23:40:35Z")
> [@eburacum45](#): > > 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). There are European, Canadian, and Asian global weather models that are as good as the US models. Usually they work together to predict long-term weather. [Numerical weather prediction - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerical_weather_prediction) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/107 "2023-02-03T23:58:26Z")
Maybe if they all stood on each others’ shoulders? (Hope they don’t see this, because someone might try it.) I’m thinking that the “people being injured on the ground” thing is speculation that it contains something that is radioactive, or a biowarfare agent. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/108 "2023-02-04T00:07:17Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I’m thinking that the “people being injured on the ground” thing is speculation that it contains something that is **radioactive** , or **a biowarfare agent.** Those do remain possibilities (my bolding). But even if those things are not relevant: the balloon does contain a LOT of hardware. You really don’t want to be hit by even a 4-inch chunk of metal if it has dropped from _that_ height. Not to mention the amount of debris from our own weapon–debris created on impact with the balloon. And the field of debris, given that the impact would be at such a height, would be HUGE. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/109 "2023-02-04T00:32:43Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Which of those things say you can’t navigate a balloon? They did make it all the way to the scene of the crash. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/110 "2023-02-04T00:39:13Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Oh, and she completely ignored the fact that the reason our current and legitimate, not to mention intelligent, president has not shot the thing down is to avoid injuring Americans It’s over red states. Fuck 'em! ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/111 "2023-02-04T01:10:26Z")
Ah, a Ron White allusion. Good job! ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/112 "2023-02-04T01:13:16Z")
Or it’s bloody big and if shot down there will be a lot of debris. I understand the thing is the size of three school buses. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/113 "2023-02-04T01:16:33Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > Donnie Junior said that the Montana militia could just shoot it down. Well, you see, if we _really_ followed that whole “shall not be infringed” thing, the Montana Militia would have THAAD ABMs of their own… Seriously, depending on how high that thing is it may be in range for a Patriot and would be well within the range of a THAAD or SM3 if it were in the right place, but then you have the aforementioned issues of terminal guidance and warhead appropriateness. A shrapnel warhead would mostly just poke holes in the whole apparatus which will make a regular missile break up but will only make a high altitude balloon slowly empty itself unless you really rip apart the top; a direct impact warhead would need to be able to hit the instrument platform head-on. And more immediately, you can’t just haul a Patriot or THAAD battery to a proper in-range location on a few hours’ notice, GMD ABMs are at fixed locations, and SM3s are based on ships. So the Midwest is left to rage at it and rain friendly fire on their own heads if they so feel like. > [@GIGObuster](#): > > Space Cowboy uh? > > How much is the reward? Pretty sure Edward would figure a way to take it down. She was sharp. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/114 "2023-02-04T01:36:44Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > What if they were riding on the _outside_ of the fighter planes and shot their AR-15s. Could they hit it then? [F15s can easily top 100K feet](https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/197972/mcdonnell-douglas-f-15-streak-eagle/), in a ballistic trajectory. Strap a coupla good ol boys on the wings with M16s (and parkas) and they can shoot on the way up, and then again on the way down. Easy peasy. > [@Sooner](#): > > And there is the problem that anything fired, is eventually raining back to earth. It (was) Montana. Who cares. ---
**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 4, 2023, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/115 "2023-02-04T02:23:33Z")
There was one “crash” in the 3 years after it became independent. And that’s unrelated to whether the navigation is possible. Meh. ---
**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 4, 2023, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/116 "2023-02-04T02:24:36Z")
What’s this? > ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/117 "2023-02-04T02:27:44Z")
It’s not even over Montana any more. ---
**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 4, 2023, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/118 "2023-02-04T02:30:08Z")
Another [Chinese spy balloon is transiting Latin America](https://edition.cnn.com/politics/live-news/suspected-chinese-balloon-us/h_0e0eb6b2c35ab48ba61e4c64edef52aa), Pentagon says > [@](#): > > “We are seeing reports of a balloon transiting Latin America. We now assess it is another Chinese surveillance balloon,” press secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said in a statement to CNN. ---
**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 4, 2023, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/119 "2023-02-04T02:32:43Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > It’s not even over Montana any more. The video’s from over a couple of hours ago. In the comments, producers from major news networks are asking for permission to use it. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2023, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228/120 "2023-02-04T02:33:44Z")
It’s a joke. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FH-LmkLFJg0/hqdefault.jpg "Ron White Near Miss Plane Crash") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH-LmkLFJg0) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-pentagon-is-tracking-a-chinese-spy-balloon/979228.md?page=7)