Last edited:
Taiwan and China thread.
- Thread starter dowie
- Start date
Soldato
Do these balloons actually relay data in real time? Seems abit odd if they don't as surely it dosnt fly back.
I'd assume so, not sure what the odds are of getting it back when released... especially if you plan to drift it over enemy airspace.
Last edited:
Soldato
Supposedly using it to measure things that satellites can’t. I expect they are scanning military radar frequencies and anything else they can find. The balloon is not just moving in a fixed path, it is able to steer and has moved several times.
Caporegime
Not sure what intelligence this balloon can effectively acquire considering a lot of the stuff it's interested in is underground, and any military radio signals in the area will surely be secured in some way.
Soldato
- Joined
- 13 May 2003
- Posts
- 8,933
The chinese have a sophisticated space programme, they have a small space station. Surely they would build satellites to spy on the US rather than shonky ballons.
Caporegime
Why do these old dictators get it into their heads that they must start wars and conquer things? Is it to leave a legacy behind them as they know they'll be dead soon?
It's pathetic but the psychology is quite interesting.
It's pathetic but the psychology is quite interesting.
Watch this
There are instruments and electronics that don't work from space altitudes, balloons allow you to get close enough to the ground to work - for example radio signals can't easily be intercepted from space but they can from a balloon in the sky, also ground penetrating radar equipment doesn't work well from space but it does from a balloon in the sky
Last edited:
Soldato
100% this!!!!
We've created generations of "internet experts" who all have absolutely zero real/actual knowledge on a subject but believe that their 10 second internet search (if that) on a subject gives them an opinion that they'll die defending no matter how stupid it, even more so when a genuine expert with decades in the field tells them that they're wrong.
The 1999 work of Dunning & Kruger has never been more relevant than it is right now.
Soldato
- Joined
- 25 Nov 2005
- Posts
- 12,611
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 45,975
Surprised they didn’t do it before it got to the mainland.
Soldato
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 45,975
Job done, nice. Would love to see some footage.
Last edited:
I'm surprised they've now said shoot it down
It makes the US look weak
The best option would have been to shoot it down as soon as it entered US airspace. But since they said they won't shoot it down, they should have just played it cool and acted like it means nothing. To now change tact again and shoot it down just makes the US government look indecisive, inconsistent and weak
It makes the US look weak
The best option would have been to shoot it down as soon as it entered US airspace. But since they said they won't shoot it down, they should have just played it cool and acted like it means nothing. To now change tact again and shoot it down just makes the US government look indecisive, inconsistent and weak
Maybe that's the point?
Make China make a mistake like Russia did and ultimately in the long term win.
Man of Honour
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 45,975
I don’t think it makes them look weak, it’s given them a good excuse to stick it to china diplomatically and then also shoot it down.
Soldato
- Joined
- 16 Aug 2009
- Posts
- 7,963
No it means they took their time and didn't want civilian casualties. Theres a history with balloons the japanese sent them over during WWII and one was shot down over an oregan forest either killing or injuring a couple of civlians.