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Surprise!

Started by GDS_Starfury, February 02, 2023, 06:43:31 PM

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Crossroads

Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 23, 2023, 09:15:45 PMAltogether now Finophiles!


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Tripoli

 Nice background article on the PRCs use of surveillance balloons and an overview of their possible capabilities.  Difficult to summarize, but worth the read for those who are interested in the subject

China's militarisation of meteorological balloons  https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/chinas-militarisation-of-meteorological-balloons/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20The%20Strategist&utm_content=Daily%20The%20Strategist+CID_57f456d8040f754f9969ef69cdfcd333&utm_source=CampaignMonitor&utm_term=Chinas%20militarisation%20of%20meteorological%20balloons
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Sir Slash

In case you missed it, NBC News is reporting that their sources tell them that in fact the Chinese Spy Balloon WAS able to transmit data from electronic surveillance of American military sites it flew over, back to China despite the U.S. trying to prevent it. They also report that the balloon was able to cross-over military sites multiple times at will.  :doh:
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W8taminute

^I'm pretty sure the military would have shot down that balloon with ease if they wanted to. 

I guess the danger to the innocent civilians on the ground was too great so the balloon was allowed to pass over sensitive military sites multiple times, thus ensuring a thorough collection of data uninhibited.  But the bottom line is no innocents were lost.   
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bobarossa

I recall them saying they made sure nothing important was outside or being transmitted when the balloon was near.

FarAway Sooner

I would think it would be a lot easier to recover the hardware if it was downed in a "shallow, littoral area" (which is where it was ultimately shot down).  But I can only guess at most decisions made by the military or the Administration.

While regular overflights by balloons would offer a much closer-up picture of military installations than you could get from a surveillance satellite, my suspicion is that one fly-over wouldn't tell you that much.  These sort of things feel more like a Pawn in a game of Chess and less like a Queen.

GDS_Starfury

Quote from: FarAway Sooner on April 03, 2023, 05:47:02 PMWhile regular overflights by balloons would offer a much closer-up picture of military installations than you could get from a surveillance satellite, my suspicion is that one fly-over wouldn't tell you that much.  These sort of things feel more like a Pawn in a game of Chess and less like a Queen.

this wasnt about taking pictures, it was about signals intel that satellites cant pick up.
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JasonPratt

Yep, signal intel that was supposed to be jammed or only let through to allow the balloon to maneuver. Not let out.

Then again, maybe what got sent back to China was intel about our jamming systems? That sort of thing does happen, and can certainly be useful to an opponent; maybe that was unavoidable.
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Sir Slash

They were probably just trying to steal our designs for Crop Circles to make their own. Then sell them back to us. For less than we can make them ourselves. Or the aliens can make them for us.  :cylonA:
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

FarAway Sooner

Dangit, the last thing we need are Chinese-made Crop Circles.  Even if they don't last as long as ours, I'm sure we'll be seeing them pop up everywhere somebody wants a bargain.

Maybe we should start carving a "Made in America" seal into our domestically produced crop circles?

Sir Slash

Great idea. Or we could retaliate by making our own Fortune Cookies with shit in them THEY can't understand. Like, 'Knock-Knock' jokes. Because in China the government doesn't knock, they just come-in.   :outtahere:
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

GDS_Starfury

Jarhead - Yeah. You're probably right.

Gus - I use sweatpants with flannel shorts to soak up my crotch sweat.

Banzai Cat - There is no "partial credit" in grammar. Like anal sex. It's either in, or it's not.

Mirth - We learned long ago that they key isn't to outrun Star, it's to outrun Gus.

Martok - I don't know if it's possible to have an "anti-boner"...but I now have one.

Gus - Celery is vile and has no reason to exist. Like underwear on Star.