Posted on 02/10/2023 11:23:17 AM PST by krogers58
Well. what could the Chinese "Weather" Balloon's actual purpose have been? It's flight path took it along the Aleutian Island Chain. Over Alaska and Canada, it did a loop-the-loop over the Yukon, and cut a diagonal across America, passing over too many strategic sites.
The Balloon's flight path over Alaska, was over the US's 2 major Air Force bases (Elmendorf AFB, Eielson AFB) and the US's 1 Space Force base (Clear Space Force Station) in Alaska. There are likely other bases that are not publicly known. Additionally, the ballon transited almost directly over our Ground-based ICBM interceptor site at Fort Greely in Alaska. The loop the balloon took over Alaska allowed it to search in the vicinity of these bases. The remoteness of Alaska allows the US gov't to hide bases, and projects, in plain sight.
This balloon, likely collected all kinds of radio traffic, including low power radio (Think the ISM Band 890 - 928 Mhz), which may, or may not have been encrypted, based on the likelihood that the signals would attenuate, and not travel that far so as to need to be encrypted. So, one of the balloon's purposes was likely to collect all kinds of signals intelligence.
It's to be noted that over half of our air force is located in Alaska, particularly our F-22's and F-35's. The reason that so much of our air force is based in Alaska is to allow them to be based in relative safety, and be available for a Chinese or Russian strike, or defense thereof from the same countries. They would follow the Aleutian Islands, using the islands as "cover" for much of the flight to the China/Taiwan theatre. With the rotation of the earth, it is the most direct route to China/Taiwan. The ground based ICBM interceptors offer protection from ICBM's, and though I don't have specific knowledge, it's also likely they have THAAD and Patriot missile systems for defense of these air force bases. These defenses would eventually be overwhelmed but they would simply allow most of the fighters, bombers, and tankers to get off the ground. If one wanted to design an attack to neuter these bases, and ICBM missile silos, a massive nuclear cruise missile attack, following the Aleutians, would be the most likely scenario. A simultaneous hypersonic glide missile attack on our silos would also be indefensible.
The balloon likely was picked up on every radar the US has available, which gave the Chinese the knowledge of the frequencies, type, and location of the various radars they would have to conceal themselves from.
In addition to collecting radar and radio frequency intelligence, this ballon likely was able to map the grounds of these bases, in ways that cannot be done from satellites. We've all seen the archeological shows, where using a drone equipped with lidar, archeologists are able to find previously unknown ancient cities in the thickest of jungles. The same is true of ancient cities buried in desert sands. Modern electronics can determine many things, particularly with devices like ground penetrating radar (Bunkers can be discovered). The usefulness of the location of these underground hangers where these fighters are stored is incalculable.
Lidar allows you to create highly detailed surface maps. Just the kind of maps that could be used by cruise missiles, that are denied GPS navigation. They can use terrain maps to navigate. Our cruise missiles have had this capability for decades. The detailed terrain maps, combined with the data collected on US radars along the Aleutian Island route, would allow the Chinese to calculate the path to Fort Greely, and the 3 Air Force bases, for an early Sunday morning sneak cruise missile attack on all these bases.
We can further assume that the Chinese were able to map out all of our missile silos in Montana, using Lidar and ground penetrating radar. So if the Chinese launched a staggered cruise missile attack, along the path the balloon took, they could take out our silos, and neuter our air force, and make our missile interceptors worthless. Each cruise missile can carry a 200 Kt device, enough, to destroy hardened silos.
We are told by the Biden administration that the balloon never broadcast it's data to China, but aside from the fact that this administration lies about anything that makes it look bad, it would be a simple matter to defeat any attempts to jam the radio transmissions of this "weather" balloon. This balloon could have used lasers, to communicate with satellites that overfly it, sending bursts of information via laser. The difficulty in detecting such communications, is that they are so direction specific, that it's almost impossible to be in a position to intercept them, particularly where this balloon is at 60,000 feet, and the only thing we have that can fly at this level is the SR-71. The amount of data that can be burst transmitted by lasers, is mind- boggling.
What's even more mind-boggling is that our government, through indecision, or perhaps more nefariously, allowed the Chinese to commit an act of War against this country. It is hard to see how the damage that has been done to our national defense can be rectified. The Intelligence community, if they're not in bed with the Chinese, need to double down on getting this senile, corrupt, Chinese plant out of the White House. This analysis/conjecture is done with publicly known information.
Embarrass the Pedo.............................
” Just the kind of maps that could be used by cruise missiles, that are denied GPS navigation.”
Our cruise missles use GPS.
It sounds like the purpose was to cancel the Diplomatic meeting
To stop all media coverage of grifter Hunter Biden’s access to classified documents. Mission accomplished.
Let’s just say that the assumptions in the article are correct that the Chinks got and transmitted all kinds of national security information.
The real question that needs answered is WHY WERE THEY ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH IT?
The excuse of not shooting it down over land for fear of hitting someone is total and complete BS. Pop the balloon and payload falls basically straight down. Impact area very small. Sadly this entire fiasco may be solely due to indecision and incompetence infecting the Biden Administration and the leadership at the Pentagram.
You know., I’d be really concerned if this was the first and only time they surveyed our installations. But they do it with satellites 24/7 and can really drill in and see a lot. A friend says they can see a hair on a gnat’s ass if they want to. Frankly, watching our military response likely gave them more info than just allowing it to float by. A modest response probably gave them the least info.
And we have absolutely no way to determine the extent of the damage for at least a few more weeks or longer, maybe years, to determine the nature of any bio-weapons that could have been dispersed.
Just a message aimed at America and her leadership. All your bases are belong to us. Our homeland is within their easy reach.
Risk adverse culture=measured and calculated response.
Cliηtoη traded ballistic missile technology to Chiηa for “campaign contributions”.
Not a stretch to suppose the Biδeη cartel traded an unfettered espionage mission to Chiηa for the same.
I haven’t seen this discussed, in what context or under what conditions would the Chinese ballon technology become relevant?
If the US and China had a full scale nuclear exchange both sides would have to use or lose their silo based missiles. So, China expends all ICBMs and is left with nothing in reserve. The US might well keep some submarine based missiles in reserve, China doesn’t have nuclear missile submarines. The US would then have the leverage of a second strike, China wouldn’t. However, US is by then left with little to no ability to secure it’s airspace and suddenly Chinese balloon technology is very relevant for it’s ability to deliver a second nuclear attack.
What would a negotiation look like with balloons inbound or over what’s left of the US?
Your scenario might have been in some use for decades, though.
Why use a balloon, when you could just hire private planes to fly over our territory for years, at different times and days—weeks—months? The payload of the balloon doesn’t look so big it wouldn’t fit in a De Haviland Otter, for example.
Yeah, delay shooting down our balloon and we'll buy fifty of Hunter's paintings.
I have direct knowledge of a study done on an EMP attack that would see 90% of the population of the US dead within a year. Mainly through starvation, disease, food riots, and civil disorder.
The Chinese may use all of their silo based missiles, however, they would still have cruise missiles, which could be air, or ship launched. Enough 200 Kt devices and you’re suddenly talking about mass destruction, equal to the ICBM attacks.
I personally believe that China was trying to ease their food shortage by finding stray American cats.
Mapping strategic info for future missile attack.
Whats your point?
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