$800 billion a year on defense for a spy balloon to be spotted by some dude flying home from a work trip to Portland
Aren’t there satellites that are taking detailed pictures of the earth already (i.e. google earth)? What’s the point in using a balloon instead unless it’s just to make our defense department look like fools
The idea that we have to worry about our demise as a country coming from external threats at this point is objectively hilarious.
They’re trying to ban immigrants and China from buying land, homes or businesses in Texas. I’m sure this is going to go over really great.
This thing has been there since yesterday. A bunch of airplane nerds like me noted that there was a ground stop put in place yesterday (Wednesday) over Montana while F22s were brought in along with a tanker support aircraft. The thinking is the F22 was chosen due to its ability to fly and stay at higher altitudes than other aircraft. This is getting more and more interesting.
I am thinking it’s mapping nuclear silos and other military equipment. There is a very similar incident where we also dispatched F22s over Hawaii several months ago.
what’s the point in spending all these billions on defense if we won’t just shoot down a balloon the dod ignoring biden is also really weird
This is one very far out there theory in why we haven’t shot it down already. My thought is at this alitutude it’s low enough that if we shot it, the Chinese could take shots at our low orbit satellites in response.
“I can’t believe they have the audacity to send a spy balloon!!” -doesn’t read but agrees to terms and conditions on Tik Tok, and proceeds to scroll for hours…
Without inflation that’s only like $600 billion though, and also the ballon wouldn’t be able to float. Thanks Biden
Canadians dropped the ball a bit as well, by that path it looks like it wasn’t too far from Vancouver at one point.