Where is the Balloon?

garycrist

Known around here
Joined
Sep 25, 2021
Messages
2,353
Reaction score
6,940
Location
Texas
I DO NOT believe this was a waste of money and resources! I want those pilots to burn that fuel, shoot missiles, guns
dog fight, what ever it takes! Simulators are great but, butts count more!

We learned a valuable lesson in Viet Nam missles don't work worth a damn. A fighter without guns was BUNK!

We are getting played again!
 

eyeball

Getting comfortable
Joined
Jun 30, 2014
Messages
210
Reaction score
503
I DO NOT believe this was a waste of money and resources! I want those pilots to burn that fuel, shoot missiles, guns
dog fight, what ever it takes! Simulators are great but, butts count more!

We learned a valuable lesson in Viet Nam missles don't work worth a damn. A fighter without guns was BUNK!

We are getting played again!
Fine, that's why there are live fire exercises that are conducted in a controlled manner. Shooting down balloons that are no threat is a misuse of resources in my opinion and introduces the possibility of accidental collateral damage on the ground besides.

As for getting played again, that seems to be the SOP with the current regime.
 

Sybertiger

Known around here
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
4,744
Reaction score
13,709
Location
Orlando
Well, I don't know...it did take two $400K missiles to kill that balloon that escaped the clutches of that poor little boy at the circus. So, apparently we do need practice.
 

Sybertiger

Known around here
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
4,744
Reaction score
13,709
Location
Orlando
We need to send the bill to the kid's parents. They need to teach him the value of hanging on to his balloon.

1676411266022.png

 
Joined
Aug 19, 2020
Messages
4,984
Reaction score
20,968
Location
San Antonio, TX
I DO NOT believe this was a waste of money and resources! I want those pilots to burn that fuel, shoot missiles, guns
dog fight, what ever it takes! Simulators are great but, butts count more!

We learned a valuable lesson in Viet Nam missles don't work worth a damn. A fighter without guns was BUNK!

We are getting played again!
Fine, that's why there are live fire exercises that are conducted in a controlled manner. Shooting down balloons that are no threat is a misuse of resources in my opinion and introduces the possibility of accidental collateral damage on the ground besides.

As for getting played again, that seems to be the SOP with the current regime.
You both have valid points. Vietnam was a valuable lesson that was hard learned by our aircraft designers and pilots. Technology isn't ALWAYS the ANSWER.

I also don't agree with the firing of a very expensive missile at something that could have been taken out with a 1 second mini-gun 'burp'.

Simulators, training exercises, are all great. But they can and never will be as good as the real thing.

Of course this is IMO and means jack shit.
 

wittaj

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
25,290
Reaction score
49,253
Location
USA
 

CCTVCam

Known around here
Joined
Sep 25, 2017
Messages
2,678
Reaction score
3,514
AIM9 was originally heat seeking but, times changed! The AIM9X has lasers to illuminate the target thus rendering flares useless!
The B52 might be your grandfather's plane but, the Aim9 series of air to air missles have been dipped in "The Fountain of Youth"!
I can find no mention on that on either the Wiki or Raytheon's own website. They both state passive infrared which is PIR or in otherwords heat detection. I could be wrong, but it's only what I found.



I believe the latest ones also have datalink ability to receive radar guidance from aircraft like the f22 / f35.
 

Ssayer

BIT Beta Team
Joined
Jan 5, 2016
Messages
19,613
Reaction score
70,987
Location
SE Michigan USA
Hear me out as there are approximately 1800 weather balloons launched each and every day. It's all perfectly legal and internationally accepted...

If Xi really wanted to F with Biden? Here's what I'd envision. One container on one of each transport ship which is still in International Waters but bound for Seattle, Portland, San Fransisco, and Los Angeles, etc... Each of these single containers would hold thousands of 6' (which expand to approximately 20') weather balloons and enough helium to fill them all. On cue, all balloons are released from each ship (I know, it would take hours to get them all aloft). Can you even start to imagine the current woke military "leadership" attempting to handle this situation??

As an added bonus, each balloon would have 3 letters printed on them (can you guess the 3 letters I'm referring to?) :p
 

wittaj

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
25,290
Reaction score
49,253
Location
USA
 
Top