America shoots down Chinese balloon

[Lilith7]

Given that this is the second to be spotted over the US, what did the Chinese think would happen? 



https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64524105

"The US has shot down a giant Chinese balloon that it says has been spying on key military sites across America.

The Department of Defense confirmed its fighter jets brought down the balloon over US territorial waters.
China's foreign ministry later expressed "strong dissatisfaction and protest against the US's use of force to attack civilian unmanned aircraft".
Footage on US TV networks showed the balloon falling to the sea after a small explosion.

Defence officials told US media the debris landed in 47ft (14m) of water - shallower than they had expected - near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The military is now trying to recover debris which is spread over seven miles (11km). Two naval ships, including one with a heavy crane for recovery, are in the area.
In a statement a few hours later, the Chinese foreign ministry said: "The Chinese side has repeatedly informed the US side after verification that the airship is for civilian use and entered the US due to force majeure - it was completely an accident." 

The Chinese authorities have denied it is a spying aircraft, and instead said it was a weather ship blown astray."

[Kenj]

Given that this is the second to be spotted over the US, what did the Chinese think would happen? 



https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64524105

"The US has shot down a giant Chinese balloon that it says has been spying on key military sites across America.

The Department of Defense confirmed its fighter jets brought down the balloon over US territorial waters.
China's foreign ministry later expressed "strong dissatisfaction and protest against the US's use of force to attack civilian unmanned aircraft".
Footage on US TV networks showed the balloon falling to the sea after a small explosion.

Defence officials told US media the debris landed in 47ft (14m) of water - shallower than they had expected - near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The military is now trying to recover debris which is spread over seven miles (11km). Two naval ships, including one with a heavy crane for recovery, are in the area.
In a statement a few hours later, the Chinese foreign ministry said: "The Chinese side has repeatedly informed the US side after verification that the airship is for civilian use and entered the US due to force majeure - it was completely an accident." 

The Chinese authorities have denied it is a spying aircraft, and instead said it was a weather ship blown astray."

Of course, and the Americans just blew it back on course!

Ken 

[Oh_hunnihunni]

They all need to grow up.

[Lilith7]

They all need to grow up.

That would be an idea - unfortunately, not one which has occurred to them it seems.

I wonder what might happen if they were all given a small dose of estrogen....

[nzoomed]

What is hilarious is the fact that China is openly admitting its theirs. Now hopefully the US govt can actually locate it and inpect it to see what it really was designed to do.
If it was just a "civilian" weather balloon, I doubt china could care less.
If they are military spy balloons, then locating it will be invaluable to work out what radio frequency these things operate on so they can jam the signal or intercept the communications.

[Lilith7]

What is hilarious is the fact that China is openly admitting its theirs. Now hopefully the US govt can actually locate it and inpect it to see what it really was designed to do.
If it was just a "civilian" weather balloon, I doubt china could care less.
If they are military spy balloons, then locating it will be invaluable to work out what radio frequency these things operate on so they can jam the signal or intercept the communications.

Either way, we're very unlikely to ever know all the facts in this.

[nzoomed]

What is hilarious is the fact that China is openly admitting its theirs. Now hopefully the US govt can actually locate it and inpect it to see what it really was designed to do.
If it was just a "civilian" weather balloon, I doubt china could care less.
If they are military spy balloons, then locating it will be invaluable to work out what radio frequency these things operate on so they can jam the signal or intercept the communications.

Either way, we're very unlikely to ever know all the facts in this.

Quite likely, will probably be classified info unless it's discovered that it's just a weather balloon or something.