Even if it made sense to try to take out a balloon, the missiles that can reach 80,000ft+ are tens of million dollars a piece, and not that many countries have access to that type of missile tech.

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pests 3 days ago | parent [-]

I mean look at the US response to the Chinese balloons - took a bit of time and ended up being handled by fighters not missiles

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0_____0 3 days ago | parent [-]

That one was flying around 60,000ft and weighed probably about 1 ton. Very different kind of balloon.

It was shot down by an F22 with an AIM-9 Air-to-air missile. This is the highest altitude air-to-air kill known, and the first combat kill of the F22 platform.

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farseer 2 days ago | parent [-]

What a meek first kill. The F-22 is meant to attack swarms of Chinese fighters over the South China Sea. One day it will.

	▲	0_____0 2 days ago \| parent [-]
		Maybe it'll be over my house. Oh goody I'll get to watch!!