My home state of Montana was recently featured in news feeds this week as the first to observe and identify what the US Air Force says is a Chinese spy balloon. The Chinese claim it is a civilian weather apparatus that was blown off course, but the equipment visible in photographs suggests that this is a lie. Beyond that, another similar balloon has been spotted over Latin America – One wayward high tech Chinese balloon might be believable, but two is not a coincidence.
There are numerous theories as to why such a surveillance platform would be used by the CCP and what it is designed to look for, and I thought I would offer a couple theories based on my years of study into similar projects pursued by the US Department of Defense and DARPA.
First, the immediate question is why the Biden Administration has not destroyed the balloon? Why not shoot first and ask questions later? Well, Biden’s silence on this issue suggests he either has no answers or that the truth will make the American public very angry. The most likely reason it has not been shot down is because it is very difficult or impossible to shoot down.
High altitude balloons travel at 80,000 to 120,000 feet. The average fighter jet can hit altitudes of 65,000 feet and new generation drones can climb to 50,000 feet. These balloons also emit little to no heat signature, which makes them very difficult to target using missiles. If laser technology exists that has such a range, the US military is not talking about it. It might actually be easier to shoot down a Chinese satellite than one of these balloons.
Is there a way? It could be done perhaps with a missile using a large fragmentation-type warhead, but the White House does not seem too interested in exploring options.
Another explanation is that the DoD is waiting to see what these balloons do. This is where I would present a few theories as to their purpose. Here is what I think is most likely given the progress of spy balloon technology right now…
Chinese ALTA Balloon Program
For a few years now DARPA has been playing with a concept for high altitude surveillance balloons using a technology called “Strat-OAWL.” Balloons have been fielded for centuries as surveillance weapons, but unpredictable wind and atmospheric changes push the balloons around, making them useless within a coupe of days for any specific region.
To break it down simply, Strat-OAWL is the experimental use of lasers to read wind speed and direction far ahead of a balloon. The balloon then uses that data to increase or decrease altitude to ride airstreams in whatever directing the military wants the balloon to go. This could allow increased navigational control, but the Holy Grail that DARPA seeks is a high alt balloon that can stay in one place indefinitely.
I find this idea impractical, like most DARPA projects, if only because wind currents can change faster than any balloon can adjust altitude, but I do see the potential uses here. The Chinese could unleash hundreds of high flying spy balloons with similar capabilities to spy satellites at a fraction of the cost and with less risk of destruction by enemy fire. The CCP may be attempting to test their own version of the DARPA directional balloon tech, while also waiting to see if the US has the means to shoot down the devices.
Lidar Observation From A Balloon Platform
The Chinese have been messing with lidar technology a lot lately. Lidar uses pulsed lasers to measure small variations in terrain to uncover hidden shapes and structures. It also has a knack for cutting through forest canopy and other obstructions. The problem with lidar is that the platforms commonly used to carry the apparatus are faster moving and only capture a snapshot in time. Also, it cannot see through thick clouds, dust, rain, snow or fog.
NASA and DARPA have both been testing lidar from balloons as a means to keep the lasers in the sky longer above a specific area. The Chinese balloon also looks somewhat similar to the equipment used on European lidar balloon experiments.
A lidar based spy balloon would explain Chinese interest in Eastern Montana, where there are numerous known nuclear missile silos as well as suspected hidden silos. The Chinese balloon did in fact come near at least one known nuclear missile base near Billings. Lidar could be exploited to find hidden bases in the region.
Multispectral Imaging
Much like Lidar, multispectral imaging tech is highly dependent on the platform that it is mounted on. MI is used to measure wavelengths of light that are not visible to the human eye and it is tested in many scientific applications. However, there are military applications, including using MI to discover hidden variations in terrain that do not match the surrounding environment. In other words, its meant to sniff out camouflaged buildings, vehicles, fighting positions, etc.
China launched two satellites for multispectral imaging in 2019 and may now be trying to test the same equipment on balloons. It’s hard to say if they are looking for a unique target, or if they are just establishing baseline image maps to be used in the future for…who knows?
Weapons Delivery Platform
High altitude balloons are cheap and relatively effective surveillance platforms that can be used much like satellites but, with the right equipment, could become far more maneuverable. With the CCP’s limited resources it makes sense that they would be utilizing low-cost and low visibility measures instead of expensive and easier to target long range drones or spy planes.
However, these systems are not just useful for observation – They can also be used to deliver weapons packages, including EMP weapons, nuclear weapons and biological agents. The US has been testing balloons for nuclear delivery ever since Operation Yucca in 1956.
In the event of war between China and the US, the CCP may be looking for a way to strike with weapons of mass destruction with a passive delivery system that’s hard to defend against.
The end goal is difficult to figure out. No doubt, the Chinese expect conflict with the US in the near future. The surveillance may be in preparation for an invasion of Taiwan in the near term (next couple years). Or, the entire circus may just be designed to see how America reacts. So far, the Biden White House has done nothing and has said nothing.
Article cross-posted from Alt-Market.
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America could fire up the SR-71 Blackbird that could cruise right up to this altitude
They’d have to fit it with weapons. It carries nothing. Anything would change it’s dynamics and need to be tested.
That the balloon “lingered” around or over some of our icbms as well as a base of B2s suggests strongly deliberate meandering.
Seemingly, were there any SR71s loaded and available, they could do the trick, especially were they to launch a missile at the target. So, probably SR71s are no longer available, especially none with heat seeking missiles. Then, how about F18s with rocket missiles? Also, we reportedly have state of the art sensors, so sensitive that our state of art Pentagon does not want an enemy to even get a glimpse of what they are now able to sense. How about sensing the balloon for infrared and other high-tech sensors. Last year the (super sharp) Pentagon announced they had or were outfitting our aero fighters with new laser cannons. Run up to the ceiling and take aim.
What would China do were the US to make such a move on China? Answer: we would not even have been made aware of the transgression since they would have taken it out upon discovery. Biden talks tough but carries a blade of grass. The woke, bloated Pentagon is busy searching for white racism and promoting AA.
RIGHT….and…the US also has the TR-3B ….the triangular craft which operates on *anti-gravity* propulsion. It is fitted with laser weapons and particle beam weapons. Supposedly it can reach the moon in just a few hours…or to Mars in about 1 week. It is part of our secret space program….that no one is supposed to know about. It was back engineered from the Roswell alien craft and other alien craft that we have at S4….about 20 miles outside of Area 51.
It has been shot down off the coast of South Carolina.
Yep, the Balloon when down like Fang Fang on Eric Swalwell.
China got what they needed without any interference how sad this country is right now.
They’re taking ‘Fly-Over Country’ too literally. Let’s test the lasers on it.
He coulda done it sooner but he was leading from behind.
Or, just may it was a delvery vehicle for thousands of those minute drones the size of small insects that can film or generate radiation, microwaves, etc.
Beijing Biden just let them waltz right through.
I’m tired of the lack of knowledge about American shoot down capability. We have been able to interdict targets at 100,00+ feet since the late 60s. We could have splashed the balloon at any time.
Balloon platforms are sufficiently cheap that the military-government-DNC complex would be wise (sic) to keep a few balloon-cidal units aloft in rotation. There need be no danger below for they can be of 99% flammable material which can self-immolate by way of a low altitude fuse and, from 60,000+ feet it would be just ash descending anyway. Wait until the intruding platform is over Mt, ND, SD, or some similarly low-density area and the likelihood of earthly danger is vanishingly remote.
Ohhhh, but the Marxists will scream: “what if a tiny piece hits one of our abortion centers and hurts someone?!”
More likely it will hit a cow. It would be safer by many factors than your bird-slaughtering windmills!