MrEloi t1_j9gotam wrote on February 21, 2023 at 9:10 PM

I thought that the F-22 got up to 50,000 feet and the missile climbed the remaining 10,000 feet?

This photo show the plane at 60,000 ft or more ....

The shadow cast onto the balloon is all a bit too perfect.

Note: technically, the F-22 can reach 60,000+ ft in some circumstances

Mival93 OP t1_j9gp7p7 wrote on February 21, 2023 at 9:16 PM

This photo is from a U2 spy plane that observed the balloon, as noted in the title. Not an F22. The U2 can reach above 70,000 feet.

MrEloi t1_j9guynf wrote on February 21, 2023 at 9:55 PM

>as noted in the title.

Doh!

Mival93 OP t1_j9gvey2 wrote on February 21, 2023 at 9:58 PM

Haha it happens!

Coke_Addict26 t1_j9gpkqp wrote on February 21, 2023 at 9:21 PM

It's a U2 reconnaissance plane, not an F22. This looks like it's from when the balloon was still over land and it's there to take pictures not shoot it down.

rsta223 t1_j9h1x24 wrote on February 21, 2023 at 10:40 PM

The F-22 officially has a ceiling of 60k, and was apparently at 58k when it shot the balloon (which was at 63k, with the missile covering the 5kft difference).

(As stated by others, this is a U-2, but the 22 could actually get pretty close, and based on the flight envelope diagrams I've seen, even 60k is pretty conservative for the 22, and probably an artificial limit for pilot oxygen/pressurization reasons or something)

DemonAzrakel t1_j9hhtc6 wrote on February 22, 2023 at 12:29 AM

I figure the published number would be intentionally conservative, not giving the precise limitations out to the public.