US military shoots down high-altitude object over Lake Huron on Sunday

[SuperCoder]

Source: CNN

The US military shot down another high-altitude object over Lake Huron on Sunday afternoon, according to a US official and a congressional source briefed on the matter.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/12/politics/lake-huron-high-altitude-object/index.html

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Another one. What's going on?

[ruet]

1. Quick Trigger!

NPI... I was frantically searching for "mainstream" publication of the story. Well done.

[LudwigPastorius]

2. Observers from an alternate future timeline?

They want to see what the Earth was like before mankind was wiped out in an all out nuclear war started by Vladimir Putin.

Seriously though, could these things have been up there all along, but we're just now seeing them because we are intently looking for them?

[RKP5637]

12. That's an interesting question. I had thought the skies over the US were under constant

surveillance for objects. ... missiles, planes, drones, whatever. I'm surprised this is happening ... or for some reason it was not communicated to the masses.

[Efilroft Sul]

3. Can someone explain the flight pattern of our USAF Stratotanker?

https://www.flightradar24.com/2f2c5808

[ruet]

5. Departed From Pittsburgh...

vectored to contact over Lake Michigan. It either didn't make it in time or followed the object (actually the aircraft it was supporting) to Lake Huron where it remains on station during the ongoing operation. Interesting times...

[Earl_from_PA]

14. It's Pittsburgh with an "H"

Pittsburg without an "H" is in Kansas.

[ruet]

16. Apologies PA Citizen.

I'm doing this from a couch with a keyboard on my lap and lemmie tell ya, I ain't no good at it.

[Earl_from_PA]

24. Apology accepted. Thank you.

It's just one of my pet peeves.

[chicoescuela]

18. Or California

[RKP5637]

17. Interesting! Thanks for posting! n/t

[Gaugamela]

35. Don't military aircraft transmit a call sign? Is this an exception?

[Duppers]

59. Thanks for posting this link.

[Warpy]

4. The really high stuff is most likely space junk

It's what I suspect that "non propelled cylindrical object" shot down over Canada was, it sounds like a spent rocket slowly reentering the atmosphere, due to burn up.

Eventually they'll start to identify this shit and determine what might be a threat and what's just junk. Until then, expect to hear about a lot of crap being shot down.

[Tree-Hugger]

7. From everything I read recently

They have broadened the filters used when scanning the skies. Now, we are more likely to find objects up there. There are some nefarious things like the balloon from China, but there is also a lot of junk up there. I think we'll hear about this a lot in coming days/weeks.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

19. Why won't they tell the public NOW! They are hiding something obviously!

If not dangerous why shooting stuff down??

Think!

[Tree-Hugger]

22. True

We never shoot first and ask later.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

27. Not even asking later....what did they find on the first balloon? Why all the mystery?

It’s strange and was strange from Day 1 of the Big White Balloon…it was being tracked days before the public panic….pentagon Lied about that knowledge to our faces…and public said…can we have some more Lies, sir!?

[RKP5637]

29. All excellent questions from you and comments!!! n/t

[Warpy]

43. They did give a list of Chinese manufacturers now under sanctions

for contributing to the electronics package. What they've said it was (so far) was a communications monitoring device. That makes more sense than something photographing decommissioned ICBM sites ij Montana and S. Dakota, those things don't steer. However, you don't need to be right on top of things to eavesdrop on them, just somewhere within line of sight.

https://www.ajot.com/news/article/us-sanctions-six-chinese-firms-connected-to-balloon-uproar

At the time of the above article, some of the payload was still under water, so more sanctions are sure to follow.

[ruet]

11. What? No!

Objects, junk or otherwise, don't slowly enter the Earth atmosphere. And they certainly aren't around long enough to be intercepted by aircraft that have leave the surface of the planet to reach them. Not to mention the fact that the DOD knows where all of the space junk is. I don't know what we're shooting at but it certainly isn't space junk.

[kysrsoze]

13. Agree. If it can be shot down, it's way too low.

Space junk would be much higher or burning up in reentry.

[marybourg]

34. The "cylindrical object" might very well be a

common radiosonde suspended from a weather balloon. .

[Warpy]

46. No balloon was mentioned

It was escribed only as a cylindrical object with no propulsion. That's it. They'd have mentioned a balloon.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

48. There is no "slowly reentering". Low earth orbit is 17,000+ mph.

Re-entry is at near orbital speed. High boost trajectory (rocket junk) is still very fast, so fast that it melts hardened metal. That is faster than jet fighters fly.

These things have been hovering, transiting slowly enough that orders can be issued to close air space, scramble jets, make contact, observe & video, then shoot down.

Stuff "due to burn up" is much too high, around 50-70 miles high, about 250 k to 350 k feet. That's about 5 or more times higher than the highest jet fighters. F22 Raptor can only reach 65,000 feet.

[Bayard]

68. Agreed

What goes up, must eventually come down. I'd rather have an ex-satellite shot to pieces before falling, than a whole one.

The sudden influx of these things could all be from one object coming to pieces.

[Walleye]

6. At least it is good training for the fighter pilots

[SheltieLover]

8. I don't know, but I'd guess the pilots are enjoying themselves.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

20. Yes, good training and enjoyment, so it's all good!! Send some more, aliens!

What else do fighter pilots do the rest of the year??

[SheltieLover]

26. Yes, great live training.

I'm sure pootin is eating his heart out...

I dunno, but I'd guess they spend a lot of time training to stay fresh.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

28. Destroying a balloon with a modern jet fighter is probably not that good training.

[SheltieLover]

32. Maybe not, but they get to "play" with their "toys"

[Polybius]

44. It's not confirmed to be a balloon

Nor were any except for the first one one.

[zipplewrath]

9. Apparently they've been around for some time

They typically were so small that they were ignored by our radar warning systems. Now we're actually looking for them. I'm a bit suspicious that they may as likely be from North Korea as China. China may have developed the concepts, but then sold them to the North Koreans. Now that we're spotting them, it may negate their usefulness going forward.

[mitch96]

10. And China's response??? (who, ME?) crickets... nt

[Alexander Of Assyria]

21. Why zero info. from our governments?? Sorry China not named the target of outrage this time!

Maybe tomorrow!

[mitch96]

51. I guess the powers that be have to pick over the parts and see what it does and where the

info went to... Like another poster said, we will prolly know in 5-80 years...
m

[keithbvadu2]

15. 100% for both Biden and Trump. 4 of 4 shot down by Biden. 3 of 3 ignored by Trump.

100% for both Biden and Trump. 4 of 4 shot down by Biden. 3 of 3 ignored by Trump.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

23. Downed one harmless balloon....and what are the other 3 objects? Why they not say?

3 Objects…stfu public Joe, that’s all we gonna tell you! Praise us!

[sybylla]

30. I am guessing you didn't grow up during the Cold War.

Let me help you out.

Top secret defense and spy games don't happen in public. If you know, so do our enemies. You'll be told what you need to know when you need to know it. That's how it works.

I feel like such a boomer for saying all this, but it truly doesn't pay to get your undies in a bundle over any of it.

Edited to add that you might even be told a LIE, because that's what the Defense Department and CIA want our enemies to know. Get used to the idea.

[2naSalit]

36. +1

[ShazzieB]

47. +1000!

I'm a boomer, I remember the Cold War, and I'm amazed by anyone being surprised that every single solitary detail isn't being immediately released to the public.

There really are things that we don't need to know, and times when national security is best served by playing certain things close to the vest.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

49. Exactly! Pentagon and MIC need another Cold War! China seems like a good victim for that!

Russia sucks!

[ruet]

63. Victim?

GTFO here. Can I ask if your username is a reference to Alexander the Great?

[Easterncedar]

31. Someone trying to catch the signal to watch the game

Doesn’t have cable

[2naSalit]

38. They were just tryna...

Get signal to the UP now that ego husk has screwed everything up with starlink!

[C Moon]

33. With all the info tfg probably gave putin, I wouldn't be surpised if they are trying to

dig deeper.

[2naSalit]

39. I would guess it's...

Probably both China and poopyland.

[paleotn]

37. Xi is f'ing with us.

[IronLionZion]

40. Trump's wall would have stopped it

But seriously, Who is sending this stuff and why?

[WheelWalker]

41. And... another one bites the dust.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

42. Heard Randy Quaid just shot one down.

[Peregrine Took]

45. Anyone else consider the source is North Korea? He's weird enough and he said he was "preparing

for war."

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3209316/north-koreas-kim-jong-un-orders-military-prepare-war-more-strictly-expand-combat-drills

[Alexander Of Assyria]

50. Since next to no information by the military....why?....could be! Could be aliens just as likely!

[James48]

53. Ding ding ding 👽!

[WheelWalker]

55. Exactly my line of thought. I couldn't agree with you more, comrade.

[James48]

52. Interesting.

Today I watched a KC-135 do FIVE HOURS of circling over northern Michigan from west to east.

And I just watched two Canadian “metroliners” in formation fight along their border.
And I just even saw a U.S. Civil Air Patrol Cessna 172 do a patrol across the state.

I have no idea what it was- maybe the Aliens HAVE tried to make contact, and we keep shooting them down!

[Justice matters.]

65. Well, I 'hope' they have the technology to 'neutralize' nuclear missiles before

they reach their target. Hopefully, they'd be useful for something else than helping to assemble the great pyramids of Egypt.

[NBachers]

54. I am here to dial down the overwrought and unfounded assumptions and accusations.

[machoneman]

56. Maybe launched from a spy ship, NK or Chinese, east of Hawaii or near Alaska?

[AllaN01Bear]

57. every time i hear about one of these objects being taken out this is in my head.

[James48]

58. Shot down

With an Aim-9 missile from an F-16.

Details:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/02/12/another-object-shot-down-over-lake-huron-michigan/11243985002/

[ruet]

61. Heat-Seeker?

That's weird.

[James48]

62. The current Aim-9

Also has a radar seeker. It’s a dual tracker.

[ruet]

64. I'm Not Sure About That But I Could Be Wrong.

AIM-9 Sidewinder

AIM-9X is the newest variant of Sidewinder. The AIM-9X has the same rocket motor and warhead as the AIM-9M. Major physical changes from previous versions of the missile include fixed forward canards, and smaller fins designed to increase flight performance. The guidance section has been redesigned and features an imaging infrared seeker. The propulsion section now incorporates a jet-vane steering system for enhanced post-launch agility. The X model is also compatible with the Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System, which is designed for ease of target acquisition and decreased aircrew workload.

I'm not aware of that. They've' added EO targeting but I don't see anything about Radar. Not trying to start an argument. I just find it strange that a balloon would emit enough heat to get a lock. Unless we've taken to shooting down these.

[dalton99a]

60. China wants U.S. to shoot down their flying garbage with $400K missiles

and deplete our missile inventory

[TomWilm]

66. This is what those balloons could do!

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/37868/the-army-wants-to-launch-drone-swarms-behind-enemy-lines-from-high-altitude-balloons

[Alexander Of Assyria]

67. When doesn't the Pentagon want to spend money on wild ideas to kill people?

[Torchlight]

69. I think more objects will be found as closer scrutiny is applied.

After the transit of the spy balloon this month, Washington and NORAD adjusted the joint surveillance system to make it more sensitive for like objects. As a result, the number of objects it detected increased sharply.

In other words, NORAD is picking up more incursions because it is looking for them, spurred on by the heightened awareness caused by the furor over the spy balloon.

I think the U.S. and Canadian militaries are acting hypervigilant in flagging some benign objects that might previously have been allowed to pass. Curious, but not alarming at all to me, except the weird "it's ALL propaganda by the US govt!!!" routine which itself seems somewhat alarmist.

[AverageOldGuy]

70. I know this may sound ridiculous . . . but . . .

What if???

I am an amateur radio operator, first licensed in 1958. The amatuer radio bands cover a range of radio frequencies from LF (Low Frequency) through HF, VHF, UHF and SHF. The higher the frequency, the shorter the antenna.

For example, on the 160-meter LF amateur radio band, frequency around 1.8 KHz, an antenna is around 270 feet long. My 40-meter -- 7.0 - 7.3 MHz -- is 67 feet long. Up in the UHF (Ultra High Frequency)range the amateur radio band 420 - 250 MHZ, the antenna is around 1 foot long.

Back in the day, I knew a couple of guys who operated on the 160-meter band using kites to support their antennas. It was more a fun thing to do than a usual thing to do because if there was no wind, the kites would not fly. However, if there was enough breeze to keep a kite in the air, they used a BIG box kite, attached 270 feet of wire to it, and let 'er rip. As long as the kite stayed up, they were able to transmit and receive using the kite-borne antenna.

Still today some ham operators play around with kite-supported antennas.

http://n5dux.com/ham/kite/

https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/kites-faq/

Meanwhile, NASA is all into building kites.


https://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/kiteprog.html

https://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/kite1.html

Go to this website and check out their big box kites.

https://www.kittyhawk.com/



Just saying . . . couple of Chinese or Japanese or ???? folks experimenting in their backyards with kites, or with kites to support antennas . . . and the thing gets away from them . . .