The Balloon Gap

[NJROTC-CC]

It has become evident that the USA has a serious balloon gap. We need to increase balloon overflights of China. LOL

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

I’d suggest the color sky blue for our newly upgraded balloon fleet. Or maybe the ability to change colors to fit the sky.

Not here I am white.

Balloons so 1863

 

[NJROTC-CC]

I’d suggest the color sky blue for our newly upgraded balloon fleet. Or maybe the ability to change colors to fit the sky.

Not here I am white.

Balloons so 1863

I was thinking it might have been appropriate to shoot it down with a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny

 

[StPaulDad]

Does anyone know how many cadets chose the Balloon Corps at Branch Night last year?

 

[GWU PNS]

I was chatting up a friend yesterday who works in the mysterious land of info warfare in a clandestine part of Virginia (and there are many clandestine parts). I quizzingly mentioned how odd it was that we would let the Chinese direct the balloon all over the US and near our bases. He had that weird look on his face that I've come to recognize from cyber nerds, so I just asked....."What?"

He smiled and said, that's funny that you think they still had control of it.........and I didn't ask any more questions. When the hunter becomes the prey......

 

[Capt MJ]

I was chatting up a friend yesterday who works in the mysterious land of info warfare in a clandestine part of Virginia (and there are many clandestine parts). I quizzingly mentioned how odd it was that we would let the Chinese direct the balloon all over the US and near our bases. He had that weird look on his face that I've come to recognize from cyber nerds, so I just asked....."What?"

He smiled and said, that's funny that you think they still had control of it.........and I didn't ask any more questions. When the hunter becomes the prey......

ah yes…the “intel guy/gal poker face with the tiny smile lurking.”

 

[Gnarlygoat27]

ah yes…the “intel guy/gal poker face with the tiny smile lurking.”

I'm married to one of those. Feels like a disadvantage sometimes! He knows a lot of things but still can't figure out where everything goes in the kitchen 🤷‍♀️... and yes I realize that might be 50% on purpose...

 

[TCartens]

This whole balloon debacle reminds me of the antics of Colonel Flag from MASH.

 

[GWU PNS]

My version to my team is something along the lines of.... "Don't try and make me look stupid....I'm lean Six Sigma Blackbelt certified in looking stupid and I need absolutely no assistance in this area."

 

[dddad]

I'm married to one of those. Feels like a disadvantage sometimes! He knows a lot of things but still can't figure out where everything goes in the kitchen 🤷‍♀️... and yes I realize that might be 50% on purpose...

I'm going with a lot more than 50%.

 

[ProudDad17]

It has become evident that the USA has a serious balloon gap. We need to increase balloon overflights of China. LOL

Maybe we are and the fact we don't know it just proves its effectiveness. Think about it. 🤔

 

[flieger83]

My version to my team is something along the lines of.... "Don't try and make me look stupid....I'm lean Six Sigma Blackbelt certified in looking stupid and I need absolutely no assistance in this area."

Sounds like an Air War College Graduate!

 

[Small Team Bacsi]

Maybe we are and the fact we don't know it just proves its effectiveness. Think about it. 🤔

I can’t speak for the US Balloon Corps.

But it appears other countries have balloons that can come to spy on the US but we are aware of that fact until years later.

.https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/06/politics/military-intelligence-report-china-balloon-trump/index.html

 

[OldRetSWO]

I'm lean Six Sigma Blackbelt certified in looking stupid and I need absolutely no assistance in this area."

I've been the IPT Lead for the Looking Stupid Task Force

 

[GWU PNS]

I've been the IPT Lead for the Looking Stupid Task Force

If you should need a relief or a stand in, I'm your Huckleberry!

 

[UHBlackhawk]

I actually think the balloon would be an ingenious method for ELINT depending on weather conditions, especially for the Chinese since the dominant winds are from west to east in the Northern Hemisphere.
It’s normal for us to probe Chinese and Russian airspace with intelligence gathering aircraft. The Russians do the same to us and, I’m sure, the Chinese to a lesser extent. Normally the aircraft are intercepted and escorted to international airspace or, if in international airspace, shadowed. During the “Cold War” we even lost aircraft and crews that were shot down during ELINT missions.
But a balloon… as shown might make it through and be able to gather more intelligence not available to a satellite. If it’s shot down not a big deal and you can always claim it was an errant weather balloon. I’m not as willing to laugh it off until we know more about it.

 

[NJROTC-CC]

Time to panic:

The fate of America’s largest supply of helium is up in the air
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/fate-americas-largest-supply-helium-air-rcna69309

 

[Heatherg21]

This whole balloon debacle reminds me of the antics of Colonel Flag from MASH. View attachment 13534

I forgot about him!!! DH and I watch reruns weekly. They never get old. I’m so aware of how many things would not be ‘politically correct’ now that were commonplace. I mean calling a Major ‘Hot Lips’ to her face????

But also the drama that sitcom portrayed of a forward deployed MASH unit was incredible. Really ahead of its time in so many ways. The show made me research and read several books on the development of rotary aircraft and their development and engineering, and eventual deployment for wounded casualty evacs.

 

[GWU PNS]

So I was getting a birthday balloon at the pharmacy today and looked over at the next checkout to see an Air Force guy standing there. He looked at me and the balloon and I said.....you're not a Raptor pilot are you? He started laughing and the checkout lady thought we were both crazy. 😎

 

[AF6872]

Based upon current reports I would not schedule any Hot Air Balloon flights in the near future. MTI (Moving Target Indicators) in radars are easily tuned to eliminate ground clutter and moving weather patterns (clouds). . It all depends upon what you are looking for and how slow the target is going and how sensitive your MTI is set.