Not bullshit. You should read the article. Balloon intercepts have been attempted in the past, completely failing. It's like trying to shoot down a fog bank. Even being profusely punctured does not impair the balloon's buoyancy by much.
It is ridiculous for you to assume that the DoD has time, attention, resources, and funding to do everything imaginable.
And where would they go? How can you target anything with a balloon? The Japanese tried to do this in World War II and it was a colossal failure. So, do you learn from history---or put history aside and engage in flights of fancy?
Solar panels + lithium batteries + propulsion + precise weather data = balloons can be directed. Payload could be virus, dirty bomb, spy equipment.
It is a very low cost asymmetric warfare technique. It would cost 50x more for us to launch warplanes and shoot it down that it cost to build and deploy the balloon.
There was no propulsion system. Balloons are not dirigibles. This one simply followed the prevailing currents. And, as it turns out, they are an easy kill (happy, that).
Not bullshit. You should read the article. Balloon intercepts have been attempted in the past, completely failing. It's like trying to shoot down a fog bank. Even being profusely punctured does not impair the balloon's buoyancy by much.
It is ridiculous for you to assume that the DoD has time, attention, resources, and funding to do everything imaginable.
How bout shoot a flare into it and ignite the gasses or burn the material?
Can't "ignite" helium. At high altitude there is probably not enough oxygen to combust the plastic membrane of the envelope.
<flips table>
The balloon was at 60,000 feet.
It is ridiculous to believe that our military has never considered that we could be attacked via balloon.
North Korea could launch 1000 balloons from a freighter off our coast.
And where would they go? How can you target anything with a balloon? The Japanese tried to do this in World War II and it was a colossal failure. So, do you learn from history---or put history aside and engage in flights of fancy?
Solar panels + lithium batteries + propulsion + precise weather data = balloons can be directed. Payload could be virus, dirty bomb, spy equipment.
It is a very low cost asymmetric warfare technique. It would cost 50x more for us to launch warplanes and shoot it down that it cost to build and deploy the balloon.
There was no propulsion system. Balloons are not dirigibles. This one simply followed the prevailing currents. And, as it turns out, they are an easy kill (happy, that).