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ProphetTurtle t1_j821onq wrote

“We did not assess that it presented a significant collection hazard beyond what already exists in actionable technical means from the Chinese,” said Gen. Glenn VanHerck, the commander of US Northern Command and NORAD, on Monday.

So what was the point? Or maybe just maybe it wasnt a spy balloon

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Agent_Angelo_Pappas t1_j82lza6 wrote

What do you mean what was the point? We’re just supposed to let military equipment float through our airspace and do nothing as it poses a hazard to our national security? The point of blowing it out of the sky is to keep foreign military spy platforms out of our skies.

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RuTsui t1_j89js8o wrote

I think they mean what’s was the point of China launching them in the first place if it doesn’t do anything more for China’s spying capabilities.

What was the point of China launching it, not what was the point of shooting it down.

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Agent_Angelo_Pappas t1_j8a6pts wrote

If you look at the Pentagon’s statement they didn’t actually make any comparisons to satellites like that

Obviously a balloon presents much different monitoring opportunities than a satellite. A satellite would be 200+ miles up and have only a brief window to observe a target because it’s moving 15,000+ mph relative to the ground to maintain orbit

Being able to float 10 miles over a target for hours or days is a much different situation than a satellite. The takeaway I had from the DOD was that nothing on board was new, it was similar optics/sensing/communication equipment as what goes on spy planes operating around the same altitude

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