4 ms·

I wonder what the cost to take down the balloon was for the US (including monitoring it) vs. the cost of the balloon for China. If the ratio is something greate

by Kibae 4y ago

I wonder what the cost to take down the balloon was for the US (including monitoring it) vs. the cost of the balloon for China. If the ratio is something greater than 10:1, then I would say China got a pretty good ROI on a small investment.

Mountain_Skies 4y ago
It was probably a much higher ratio than that. Wouldn't be surprised if it was actually 1000:1. On the other hand, the military is constantly in need of new drills to keep everyone's skills sharp. This was a pretty good one for them with no negative outcomes beyond whatever data might have been collected and sent back to China.
- treis 4y ago
  The thing is gigantic. It's definitely not cheap and most likely more than the unit cost of a missile.
  - iancmceachern 4y ago
    Missles are pretty expensive, the sidewinders they used to shoot out down cost between 200 and 400k
    - ancientworldnow 4y ago
      A regular hot air balloon can cost 200-400k and this is substantially larger with more lift capability and had presumably expensive payload and propulsion. Worldview spent millions of dollars on a substantially smaller balloon that granted is capable of a few miles higher flight with less payload.
      - iancmceachern 4y ago
        Not really, a regular hot air balloon usually costs 20-40k, a crazy fancy shaped balloon ised for advertising will maybe push 100.
chitowneats 4y ago
I really do wonder if this is them testing that they can reliably and cheaply get high-altitude balloons to the U.S. mainland. In the event of a military conflict, I can imagine them swarming us with these. They must cost far, far less than the average American military aircraft. If our air power becomes partly tied up defending Taiwan, dropping bombs from craft like these might be an effective strategy to demoralize the U.S. population. I commented this above but I feel it's worth repeating here: the only casualties in the U.S. mainland during WW2 were Japanese balloons dropping bombs on the west coast[1]. I also wonder if this operation will end up backfiring. Suddenly, lots of people in the U.S. have Chinese aggression on their mind. Knowing Americans pretty well, I would expect this to actually increase public support for the defense of Taiwan. Inshallah. 1. https://amp.smh.com.au/world/north-america/when-japanese-balloons-menaced-american-skies-during-world-war-ii-20230204-p5chvt.html https://amp.smh.com.au/world/north-america/when-japanese-bal...
- Andrex 4y ago
  > This week, with attention on the suspected Chinese spy balloon over the United States, the U.S. Naval Institute posted on Facebook, “When the USS New York was sailing towards Iwo Jima in 1945, the crew spotted a silver sphere flying high overhead that seemed to follow the battleship for hours. Concerned that the shiny orb might be a Japanese balloon weapon, the captain ordered it shot down. After the guns failed to score a hit, a navigator realised that they were attacking Venus.” That's mildly adorable.
- dahdum 4y ago
  > If our air power becomes partly tied up defending Taiwan, dropping bombs from craft like these might be an effective strategy to demoralize the U.S. population. No, it would have the opposite effect, like 9/11 or Pearl Harbor. They'd be starting WW3 and deciding to solo it vs NATO and friends. > Suddenly, lots of people in the U.S. have Chinese aggression on their mind. Knowing Americans pretty well, I would expect this to actually increase public support for the defense of Taiwan. Yeah, I think you're right.
  - loyukfai 4y ago
kcb 4y ago
No. The US almost definitely got the better end of the deal. Lots of pieces got to test their readiness in a live scenario.
- ashwagary 4y ago
  >Lots of pieces got to test their readiness in a live scenario. Against an extremely slow moving balloon?

by Kibae 4y ago

Mountain_Skies 4y ago

It was probably a much higher ratio than that. Wouldn't be surprised if it was actually 1000:1. On the other hand, the military is constantly in need of new drills to keep everyone's skills sharp. This was a pretty good one for them with no negative outcomes beyond whatever data might have been collected and sent back to China.

treis 4y ago
The thing is gigantic. It's definitely not cheap and most likely more than the unit cost of a missile.
- iancmceachern 4y ago
  Missles are pretty expensive, the sidewinders they used to shoot out down cost between 200 and 400k
  - ancientworldnow 4y ago
    A regular hot air balloon can cost 200-400k and this is substantially larger with more lift capability and had presumably expensive payload and propulsion. Worldview spent millions of dollars on a substantially smaller balloon that granted is capable of a few miles higher flight with less payload.
    - iancmceachern 4y ago
      Not really, a regular hot air balloon usually costs 20-40k, a crazy fancy shaped balloon ised for advertising will maybe push 100.

chitowneats 4y ago

I really do wonder if this is them testing that they can reliably and cheaply get high-altitude balloons to the U.S. mainland. In the event of a military conflict, I can imagine them swarming us with these. They must cost far, far less than the average American military aircraft. If our air power becomes partly tied up defending Taiwan, dropping bombs from craft like these might be an effective strategy to demoralize the U.S. population. I commented this above but I feel it's worth repeating here: the only casualties in the U.S. mainland during WW2 were Japanese balloons dropping bombs on the west coast[1]. I also wonder if this operation will end up backfiring. Suddenly, lots of people in the U.S. have Chinese aggression on their mind. Knowing Americans pretty well, I would expect this to actually increase public support for the defense of Taiwan. Inshallah. 1. https://amp.smh.com.au/world/north-america/when-japanese-balloons-menaced-american-skies-during-world-war-ii-20230204-p5chvt.html https://amp.smh.com.au/world/north-america/when-japanese-bal...

Andrex 4y ago
> This week, with attention on the suspected Chinese spy balloon over the United States, the U.S. Naval Institute posted on Facebook, “When the USS New York was sailing towards Iwo Jima in 1945, the crew spotted a silver sphere flying high overhead that seemed to follow the battleship for hours. Concerned that the shiny orb might be a Japanese balloon weapon, the captain ordered it shot down. After the guns failed to score a hit, a navigator realised that they were attacking Venus.” That's mildly adorable.
dahdum 4y ago
> If our air power becomes partly tied up defending Taiwan, dropping bombs from craft like these might be an effective strategy to demoralize the U.S. population. No, it would have the opposite effect, like 9/11 or Pearl Harbor. They'd be starting WW3 and deciding to solo it vs NATO and friends. > Suddenly, lots of people in the U.S. have Chinese aggression on their mind. Knowing Americans pretty well, I would expect this to actually increase public support for the defense of Taiwan. Yeah, I think you're right.
- loyukfai 4y ago

kcb 4y ago

No. The US almost definitely got the better end of the deal. Lots of pieces got to test their readiness in a live scenario.

ashwagary 4y ago
>Lots of pieces got to test their readiness in a live scenario. Against an extremely slow moving balloon?