Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

Once upon a time, America’s greatest military strength was the creativity of its people. Our adversaries didn’t know what to expect from us on the battlefield or in the planning rooms, and it instilled the
strongest of emotions in our adversaries – fear.

But there is no fear coming from the leaders of C*******t China following its latest provocation of
sending a spy balloon over the United States. Rather, China’s claims of “help” from flying a stratospheric
“research” balloon over the heart of America sounds more like mocking derision.

Perhaps we should be thankful for their incursion as a lesson in what we must do better. For one, China
is helping to test our air defenses and specifically our ability to deal with what defense experts call an
asymmetric threat. This test provides insights as to what we can do and what we’re willing to do, both
now and in any future response to this overflight.

Those of us who’ve dedicated our lives to defending this nation deeply understand traditional air
defense and appreciate the new service dedicated to controlling the domain above the air, the Space
Force. But between these two layers is the stratosphere, specifically the upper portion where the air is
very thin. This is where the Chinese balloon was flying.

The stratosphere is a high-ground for observation and communications that, unlike the lower
atmosphere and space’s low earth orbits, allows for long endurance sensing and is not crowded.

Consider it an untapped growth area. Historically, the stratosphere is considered part of a country’s
territorial airspace which some of America’s capability developers have explored how to exploit and
dominate against any threat.

Undoubtedly, China’s real test is whether or not the American people awaken to this issue. Those who
understand the strategic importance of the stratosphere have proposed concepts for using and
defending it to the Pentagon, and debated the potential of balloons meandering over the adversary’s
airspace.

There are many tactical considerations involved: Could an adversary do anything about a unique, slow
speed stratospheric system; how might they react; is it a good exchange (using a million-dollar missile
to k**l a cheap floater); what could be lost with the payload; and what is the capability value?

But instead of taking some nickels and dimes from earlier $700+ billion defense budgets to explore the
risks and rewards of establishing stratospheric capabilities, our keenly focused institutional processes
and mega-suppliers yielded the same old stuff – traditional air defense, jets, rockets and satellites for
space, and nothing in between; the space now occupied by China.

While Washington dithered, the Chinese were either thinking the same thing or took our concept and
invested their yuan into actually building, and now using, a stratospheric balloon against us. Perhaps
we should thank the Chinese for allowing us to see how our own stratospheric concepts might work.

The real purpose of this Chinese research experiment was to reveal both our military capabilities and
our political resolve. They’ve likely concluded we lack the political will and, likely, the capability to
effectively deal with this asymmetric threat, which lingered for days over the heartland of America.
In time China and other potential adversaries, as well as our allies, will witness how we react to this spy
balloon stimulus. If we sluggishly respond by dumping hundreds of millions of dollars into the lumbering,
traditional defense suppliers we’d be lucky to see anything in years, they’ll learn one lesson. But if we
reopen the doors to America’s agile small business development community, they’ll learn another
lesson: fear of the unbounded unknown and respect.

Will this past week’s events be a wake-up call to the nation? Perhaps, maybe a small one. But will it be
enough to change the Defense Department and dislodge a calcified establishment into meeting new
threats with new ideas? We cannot say. Either way, the world is watching.

As Japanese Admiral Yamamoto is rumored to have said after the attack on Pearl Harbor, “I fear all we
have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” The world knows how that
story ended but we’ve rested on those laurels too long.

Whether the spy balloon incursion has awakened a 21st century sleeping giant depends on the
American people. If it has, perhaps the best thing we can say is, ‘Thanks, China.’

pegw

It has just occurred to me that there is great uproar about Chineese spy balloon, but nothing about Chinese spying on us folks. Like TicTock, and other Chinese information gathering activities. Like seven years ago when I was working for the government my HR file and many other people's was hacked by China.

Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

You having worked for the government explains a lot of things.

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

What amazes.me is how China was able to control the wind currents...
That sort of power is frightening...

Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

What amazes me -- actually it doesn't -- is how clueless you are.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/chinese-spy-balloon-had-maneuvering-ability-and-similarities-to-google-ai-balloon-project-ex-dod-official_5048449.html?utm_source=News&src_src=News&utm_campaign=breaking-2023-02-16-2&src_cmp=breaking-2023-02-16-2&utm_medium=email&est=y8c2iLvKbofKNPAmtyuAgAmKN9ZCGd9KpUSQOfstNkTqDXsw0v9p4Mpjud5nFVs%3D

WEBCO

Ahhh...You're a government employee...that explains a lot.

MidnightRider

Government employees who have seen the flaws in the government and left it are okay. The ones who still hang on for wh**ever reason aren't public enemy number one, but number 19 or so yes.

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

Chuckle... You should go back to not revealing your sources..
The ability to ascend and descend isn't exactly "maneuvering ability"...