What if?…🎈Across the Great Plains, from northern Colorado and throughout Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana, are the missile fields of the United States nuclear program. Each of the three Strategic Missile Wings at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming
(plainshumanities.unl.edu)
🤔💭 Theory 😲💡
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I’d be more willing to buy into Gregg’s suggestion if the administration takes action and shoots it down - otherwise they just look more inept with every passing day that it floats above the US.
I've come to the conclusion that the reason they are saying they will not shoot it down is to save face from the fact that they can't shoot it down.
First of all, if the balloon is at an altitude of 80,000 feet or higher, we have no aircraft that can operate at that altitude. And, even if we did, it would be problematic to shoot a nearly-stationary target with cannon fire at a closing velocity of hundreds of knots---and proximity fuzes may not activate against a balloon. Engagement with infrared homing and radar homing missiles may be ineffective because the balloon may not have a significant signature. This would also be a problem for any surface-to-air missiles. A balloon is probably not in the velocity-altitude filter for the radar detection and tracking system. Trying to snag it with a wingtip is dangerous as hell. (If we had airborne lasers it might be a different story, but no can do.)
What if there is a risk it's filled with bio-weapon?