U.S. military shoots down another flying object near Canadian border

Because nonmetallic objects are difficult to detect and track with radar. Balloons with directional capability can be moved in erratic vectors.

Even if these balloons are for spying U.S military installations and activities, the U.S. is doing the same flying U-2 spy planes over the territories of its adversaries, isn't it?

In these days of drones and satellites, balloons are said to be very useful and economical in terms of the cost and closeness to the targets they survey. Probably for these reasons, U-2 spy planes are still in active use even today.

Some pundit points out the similarity between the recent balloon incidents and the 1960 U-2 incident that resulted in aggravating the first Cold War.

So, are these balloon incidents signaling the world is entering the second Cold War?

Absurd story and journalism on so many levels.

At least pressure from the Republicans has made it important to shoot down these balloons instead of allowing them to fly across the country taking tens of thousands of pictures and video of sensitive military sites.

Initial weakness forces you into constant reactive mode.

all the things they “couldn’t” do the first time, they are doing them now trying to not get owned by the CCP again.

cant shoot it in Canada, cant shoot it over land, gotta counter surveillance on it if the media or people don’t see it. What happened to all that?

they shooting things they don’t even know what they are.

Because smart people shoot things down over unpopulated areas.

At least pressure from the Republicans has made it important to shoot down these balloons instead of allowing them to fly across the country taking tens of thousands of pictures and video of sensitive military sites.

The military takes measures to prevent these devices from detecting anything useful, while shooting them down is a lost opportunity to study them to gain an insight into what the operators are trying to learn. Also, leaving them alone while discretely hiding anything that might be interesting and restricting comms while the device is overhead to deny them intel opportunities fools your adversary into thinking they are getting away with something. The get confident, over confident, and lazy. If you start shooting down everything they send over you force them to up their game and make more survivable and less easily detected devices. That is not a good thing. Better to let your adversary think good enough really is good enough while you deny them the intel opportunities they seek.

I'm picturing some drunk Canadians hanging something from a balloon and sending it aloft with words to the effect of "take off, eh, give the NORAD hosers something to shoot at", then they all collapse on the ground laughing.........

Why are they not using the cannon instead of missiles on balloons, or whatever we are calling these things?

Why are they not using the cannon instead of missiles on balloons, or whatever we are calling these things?

Two reasons. Number one, many rounds will not hit the target and fall to the ground with unknown but possible deadly consequences. Number two, every round leaving the gun sends shell casings and sabots flying out of the gun, hard metal parts that fall to the ground and could injure someone, maybe even kill them and cause property damage. Those guns will fire right around 75 rounds in one second. Even if every one of those 75 rounds hit the target that sends a lot of shell casings and sabots to the ground. An AIM-9X is pretty cheap, is a certain hit and doesn't leave as much debris as shooting the airplane's gatling gun.

Very curious about the object shot down over the Yukon. According to the U.S.A.F. pilots, it was cylindrical in shape, seemed to be self-propelled and it affected the electricity inside of their jets. If that's all true, then it's one for the X-files.

I’m glad to see that all the professional aerial intercept defense strategists have all weighed in here.

China is claiming there is a spy balloon over its country.

How many days until the USA realizes they shot down their own stuff?

all the things they “couldn’t” do the first time, they are doing them now trying to not get owned by the CCP again.

Responsible and professional adults weigh their options carefully depending on the specific situation.

It's not a conspiracy, and "they" (I guess you mean Biden and the military) didn't get "owned" by the CCP. They have more important things to worry about than how this all plays out in the minds of the Q and MAGA crowd, namely national security.

Yep only the MAGA and the Q crowd care?

which is this guy?

https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/3854710-top-house-intelligence-democrat-expresses-concerns-white-house-not-more-forthcoming-about-balloons/amp/

Shoot, shoot, shoot..

The only way US can solve problems, lol..

"Ohhh nooo!!..

Fascist octogonal flying object..

Fascist octogonal flying object!!!"..

LOOOOOL..