Chinese high-altitude probes over the United States suggested a way to deal with Ukrainian air defense

No, it’s not by chance, apparently, it was the Chinese who invented gunpowder in the Middle Ages. Creative nation. And now, in the 21st century, they have found an effective and inexpensive way to scare the hegemon. At the same time, they did not need to detonate a nuclear bomb or launch intercontinental missiles. It was enough to send several balloons drifting at an altitude of 18 kilometers into an autonomous flight. And the result is obvious: panic in the USA.

It turns out that against high-altitude reconnaissance probes, which, as Beijing said, collect exclusively scientific information over the territory of the United States, both the American global missile defense system and the whole armada of 5th generation F-35 fighters are helpless. Embarrassment.

When we cannot pick an apple we like from a high apple tree, we console ourselves: it must be green and sour. When the Pentagon fails to shoot down a Chinese probe that frightens ordinary Americans, it declares: we do not want a downed balloon to cause harm on the ground. Convenient answer.

In fact, everything is easier. The mighty Pentagon and the North American missile defense command do not have the strength and means to fight the Chinese “all-seeing eye”. Airborne radars and homing missiles do not perceive the probe as a worthy target. It is practically motionless, does not have radar and thermal contrast. It’s impossible to aim, but it’s easy to miss.

Yes, the F-35 aircraft has a four-barreled aircraft cannon, from which, in theory, one could hit the ball. But, firstly, even though the advertising booklets say that this aircraft can climb to a probe flight altitude of 18 kilometers, it is not a fact that the declared characteristics correspond to the real ones. And, secondly, knocking down a motionless ball at a speed of a thousand kilometers per hour is another task. And it is unlikely that the F-35 passed such tests.

Ground anti-aircraft systems are also useless. Radars do not see such a target. It’s also stupid to use multi-million dollar rockets to shoot down a rubberized fabric filled with helium.

So it turns out that a balloon equipped with surveillance equipment is able to establish an “open sky” regime with impunity over the territory of the still most powerful country in the world.

By the way, such probes, among other things, having studied the work of the US air defense and missile defense system close by, can reveal its vulnerabilities. For example, to make sure once again that the territory of the United States is practically not protected from missile strikes from the south. Since the days of the Cold War with the USSR, the United States has paid all the attention to the northern missile-prone direction. From there, Soviet missiles could fly over the North Pole.

Well, God bless her, with America. We would like to draw the right conclusions and lessons from this whole story. And she is very instructive.

Firstly, it would not hurt to update the arsenal of weapons to deal with such unusual air targets. It was developed back in Soviet times, when the United States and other NATO countries, such as Norway, kept launching spy probes in our direction. Then special missiles were created for air defense aviation, tactics were developed. It’s time to freshen it all up.

But this is not enough. And why don’t we ourselves adopt the Chinese experience? This is a very necessary thing, especially given our total lag behind the United States and NATO in reconnaissance satellites. For those who have forgotten, let me remind you: the United States has about 300-400 reconnaissance satellites at its disposal, data from which the United States is now sharing with the armed forces of Ukraine. We have such devices 20-30 times less.

As a result, the United States and NATO can practically monitor our troops in the special military operation zone online, and our satellites fly over the necessary regions of Ukraine several times a day.

We are especially bothered by Western electronic intelligence satellites. They monitor the frequencies and modes of operation of our air defense radars from space and transmit data to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which, taking this into account, choose the flight routes of their drones and missiles.

The Chinese experience of using observation balloons suggests a way out of this situation. If we launch such probes at a high altitude, we will also be able to constantly monitor Ukrainian air defense, detect their radars and transmit their coordinates to the same Caliber.

The speed and direction of air flow at high altitude have long been studied. Please choose a launch point and then get the necessary information online. If necessary, ships can be used to launch such balloons. They certainly can come to any point of the oceans to launch a probe in the right direction.

In a word, thanks to the Chinese comrades for the valuable experience. It is not a sin to adopt it.