(DailyDig.com) – Former NATO leader Admiral James Stavridis has stated that the United States is not ready to face off against a force of spy balloons from China. Balloons have been used for military purposes for ages, but modern advancements have made them more effective. He noted that the importance of being prepared is due to the sophisticated materials that make up modern balloons, as well as the optimized sensors and connectivity.
The Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, noted that the balloon from China that flew over the US reflects a trend of Chinese activity in which they have extensively financed new features, including various intelligence platforms and monitoring.
Pat Ryder, an Air Force Brigadier General, has stated that China has a great deal to explain in regards to its balloon spying network.
Stavridis went on to explain that numerous aerial objects have been destroyed by military action in recent months over different parts of North America. The recent intercept occurred over Lake Huron, close to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
He said that when we gain more information regarding breaches in our airspace, we will need to reevaluate our approach to this threat. More affordable alternatives to deal with these balloons should be considered instead of employing Sidewinder missiles, which cost $400,000 each.
The military must figure out how to use anti-balloon capabilities, particularly for aerial recovery rather than destruction. It’s not an entirely novel idea, but it “will be a complex feat of airmanship,” he said. Film capsules were regularly recovered by the Air Force from orbiting satellites at an altitude of 60 kilometers.
Notwithstanding the significant public and political demands, senior adviser Mark Cancian stated he found the military’s conduct to be acceptable because the first balloon was not identified before it was above U.S. territory.
Cancian said the scariest part was learning that these kinds of objects had previously gotten past the United States’ system of air defense. He continued, saying that Stavridis is completely correct to stress the importance of enhanced surveillance to detect these objects sooner.
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