The FIRST F-22 Air to Air Kill is a Chinese Spy Balloon?

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  • Опубліковано 4 лют 2023
  • Discussing the recent shootdown of a Chinese Spy Balloon by an F-22 out of Langley. For all non-aviation content, follow my second channel LIFE WITH MOVER: / @mover69
    www.acc.af.mil/News/Article-D...
    The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
    Views presented are my own and do not represent the views of DoD or its Components.

КОМЕНТАРІ • 4 тис.

  • @skid2151
    @skid2151 Рік тому +3428

    The A-10 has more Air to Air kills than the Raptor...

    • @wodenbyers2593
      @wodenbyers2593 Рік тому +323

      I am pretty sure most top soil on this earth is younger than the warthog, nothing but love for that unkillable airframe lol

    • @Aeronaut1975
      @Aeronaut1975 Рік тому +514

      Yeah, but I'd like to see an A-10 at 60,000ft.

    • @skid2151
      @skid2151 Рік тому +111

      Service ceiling for the Hog is 35000. No worries, just glad we took out the balloon!

    • @JohnBNeff
      @JohnBNeff Рік тому +36

      Hawgs gone wild.

    • @roflchopter11
      @roflchopter11 Рік тому +47

      The Blackhawk (I think) has more air to air kills than the Raptor.

  • @PassportBrosBusinessClass
    @PassportBrosBusinessClass Рік тому +891

    Anyone using Tik Tok and complaining about Chinese espionage has serious cognitive dissonance issues.

    • @caroleinwv
      @caroleinwv Рік тому +39

      Yep

    • @thepsychicspoon5984
      @thepsychicspoon5984 Рік тому +27

      agreed

    • @gregson99
      @gregson99 Рік тому +20

      Facts...

    • @johntomik4632
      @johntomik4632 Рік тому +40

      And typing comments on a Chinese phone 😆

    • @MRsolidcolor
      @MRsolidcolor Рік тому

      yeah the reason they waited IS: shocker
      joe biden and this admiration are in the pocket of the Chinese.. the paper tails cant be hid and its getting exposed.. and the "general" in charge is "i want to know about white rage", and the same guy that called china and told them hey if we are going to attack you ill be giving you a call to inform you first.....
      Yeah its obvious why is we let to go all over the us and they even canceled flights till it past.... that's weakness you stopped our who country because you feared a balloon from CHINA... more like they where told to let it go and did as they was told....

  • @SR-bh5jd
    @SR-bh5jd Рік тому +1771

    Imagine the grief the F-22 Pilot would have received if he missed this target.

    • @osmoregulatoryorgan
      @osmoregulatoryorgan Рік тому +59

      bro 😂😂

    • @MinhTran-fc7jl
      @MinhTran-fc7jl Рік тому +104

      he probably has missed the first shot we just didn't see it filmed 😀

    • @rkan2
      @rkan2 Рік тому +130

      The grief would've been more for the Weapons manufacturers... Lockheed Martin and Raytheon company...

    • @LWRC
      @LWRC Рік тому +12

      Talk about pressure!!!

    • @4TheRecord
      @4TheRecord Рік тому +39

      None, since it was considered a difficult shot to do since the missiles they have are designed to explode when hitting hard targets. Usually a missile would fly right through the balloon without exploding, but they must have set a timer on it or an altitude for it to automatically explode at. The fact they got it on the first shot is amazing.

  • @napolea5915
    @napolea5915 Рік тому +83

    "A balloon of this caliber is not something that you can just pop." man the seriousness on your face when you said this had me dying on the floor

    • @H3ntaig33K
      @H3ntaig33K Рік тому +7

      5th gen balloon needs to be taken down by a 5th gen plane.

    • @someoneelse1550
      @someoneelse1550 Рік тому

      I mean Canada couldn't take down a large balloon once because they were using bullets, which wouldn't create a significant enough hole for it to tear or leak enough to collapse... so a large projectile is still the best way to go

    • @rbrtck
      @rbrtck 4 місяці тому

      @@someoneelse1550 The CF-18s used explosive shells, but of course they weren't fused for balloons, so they didn't explode. But I doubt the small size of the AIM-9X did it, either. It probably had to explode, using a proximity rather than contact/impact fuse, to take out that balloon.

    • @rbrtck
      @rbrtck 4 місяці тому +1

      Was Mover joking? I think he was completely serious about the sheer size of this balloon making it very difficult to take down. I'm just glad the AIM-9X worked because, justified or not, it would have been embarrassing if it had failed. And it easily could have in any of several ways.

  • @Delatta1961
    @Delatta1961 Рік тому +51

    Hi Mover. I witnessed the engagement from my backyard here in Loris, SC. The hour leading up to the kill was just as interesting as the shot itself. I can send you a video and some still that also haven’t been uploaded. I’m too am a retired Military Aviator and watching the number of fighters tracking and circling the balloon was impressive. I also saw about 4 F-15s at lower altitude, and the 2 F-22s, which clearly were obviously at a much higher altitude. So in my military mind this was very well planned and briefed. Some out there think the F-22s just launched, fired and went home. Hats off to the F-15 and KC-135 crews that were there making this historic event happen.

    • @MrBojangles2020
      @MrBojangles2020 Рік тому +1

      Love my F15s!!

    • @Fatbat3000
      @Fatbat3000 Рік тому +2

      Only cost a couple hundred million to shoot down a balloon :D

    • @humperdinckoglethorpe4180
      @humperdinckoglethorpe4180 Рік тому +2

      @@Fatbat3000bro it’s not that big of a deal. Think of it like training.

    • @animepussy8356
      @animepussy8356 Рік тому

      @@humperdinckoglethorpe4180 For what? More balloons? 6 fighters is just ridiculous for shooting down an off-course weather balloon.

    • @e.l.norton
      @e.l.norton Рік тому +2

      ​@@Fatbat3000Actually, no. The missile, plus some gas that would have been used for a training mission anyway. It didn't cost much.

  • @ale69420
    @ale69420 Рік тому +1184

    For me it's a good thing the Raptor has no kills. Speaks volume of the relative peace we live in and that "The best weapon, is the one you never need to use."

    • @skyhawk_4526
      @skyhawk_4526 Рік тому +83

      Perhaps I'm a bit pessimistic, but I suspect this will be a very temporary condition.

    • @jaredtexter4440
      @jaredtexter4440 Рік тому +29

      Really mean while we drone strike in all kinds of countries

    • @PythonRaptor
      @PythonRaptor Рік тому +67

      They say the best weapon is one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once ;)

    • @mach1251
      @mach1251 Рік тому +11

      yes, neither does the minuteman missile, best weapon is the one that you don't have to use

    • @Mutation80
      @Mutation80 Рік тому

      @@skyhawk_4526 Yeah, America is headed for a war with China

  • @bobjohnbowles
    @bobjohnbowles Рік тому +39

    Thanks for your balanced explanation of what was going on.
    As you say, they probably get more info from our phones than from any balloon, but you don't know until the payload (or what's left of it) has been inspected.

  • @spoilofthelamb
    @spoilofthelamb Рік тому +6

    First Air-to-Air kill over the continental US:
    June 4th 1942 - Battle of Dutch Harbor, over Otter Point.
    1 Japanese fighter and 2 Japanese dive bombers were downed by a patrol of 6 US P-40s.

    • @miquelescribanoivars5049
      @miquelescribanoivars5049 Рік тому

      What about Japanese explosive balloons? Pretty sure some got shot down.

    • @fastertove
      @fastertove Рік тому

      Maybe. It depends on how 'continental US' was definition before 1959 :)

  • @noahhastings6145
    @noahhastings6145 Рік тому +708

    The first F-22 kill being a balloon is oddly fitting.

    • @MrRediablo
      @MrRediablo Рік тому +7

      hahahahahha

    • @40yeartrucker25
      @40yeartrucker25 Рік тому +11

      Was it 35 million dollars EA.?

    • @Starboatbuilder
      @Starboatbuilder Рік тому +68

      @@40yeartrucker25 It is your tax dollars at work . Here in Canada we have the new F-35 with the question " does it start in cold weather"

    • @michaelbenjmitchell1
      @michaelbenjmitchell1 Рік тому +33

      What is fitting is the Squadron doing the Balloon busting. The call sign they used was a nod to a pilot in the 94th Aero Squadron during WWI who had the reputation for being a balloon buster over 17 Balloon kills to his name.

    • @bcluett1697
      @bcluett1697 Рік тому +21

      If that's all it ever has to kill that suits me fine. Seeing the little baloon silhouette on the nose is amusing.

  • @ironman6527
    @ironman6527 Рік тому +264

    The spy balloon marking on the Raptor is both awesome and funny as hell.

    • @austinado16
      @austinado16 Рік тому +48

      4 more, and he's an ace!! Get sum!

    • @mathgasm8484
      @mathgasm8484 Рік тому +37

      @@austinado16 ace balloon killer. We are all safe except for birthday parties.

    • @Justanotherconsumer
      @Justanotherconsumer Рік тому +19

      @@mathgasm8484 ace balloon killer was a real deal back in WW1. Only the best of the best could claim that title.

    • @endjfcar
      @endjfcar Рік тому +1

      It sucks that it's not real 😭

    • @austinado16
      @austinado16 Рік тому +7

      @@mathgasm8484 The ATF just announced new regulations for balloon purchases and ownership. It covers types of balloons, and quantities of balloons, and includes a comprehensive section covering modifications.

  • @Skylineben33
    @Skylineben33 Рік тому +2

    Thanks for the update!

  • @acirinelli
    @acirinelli Рік тому +5

    Thanks for the clarification on the bullets vs missiles, I was wondering why they did that

  • @aavvv_
    @aavvv_ Рік тому +415

    Might be the first and only well-balanced, informative take I’ve seen or care to see. More than enough said. Thanks always, Mover.

    • @Axemantitan
      @Axemantitan Рік тому +11

      Check out Ward Carroll's video on it.

    • @mikehunt6218
      @mikehunt6218 Рік тому +4

      @@Axemantitan yes ward Carol had a good video on it... Great channel

    • @bustbeel1
      @bustbeel1 Рік тому

      Joe Biden is a Coward after all he has Transexuals dancing on the Whitehouse Oval Office Desk that's why!

    • @bustbeel1
      @bustbeel1 Рік тому

      My family member is an Intel Agent he said you can see way more with a Balloon you are all fooling yourselves! Lucky it was not carrying a small Nuke! Mr. Biden is incapable of protecting this Country just look at our Southern Border Now a Spy Balloon!

    • @imza5535
      @imza5535 Рік тому

      Yeah any of those youtube short videos are cancer

  • @capt-rex2894
    @capt-rex2894 Рік тому +16

    4:40 my man casually takes a 20mm round out of his pocket lol

  • @rbhoward9123
    @rbhoward9123 Рік тому +1

    Liked the close up views! Best seen yet. Thanks for the F-16 pilot perspective.

  • @rhaythe
    @rhaythe Рік тому +2

    Very nice, very to-the-point explanation about a lot of talking points concerning this issue. Thank you.

  • @combatwombat2134
    @combatwombat2134 Рік тому +328

    4:06 - The Canadians found out cannons and balloons don't mix back in '98. I think it was 2,000 rounds of ammunition they fired at a balloon and it didn't work.
    Not an experience the Americans are eager to have their own of, I'm sure.

    • @FlukeyLuke
      @FlukeyLuke Рік тому +59

      Also Every single cannon shell that goes through that balloon WILL land somewhere on the floor
      Last thing you want is to claim you shot down 1 Ballon and 53 civilians down range with the 500 shells you fired

    • @hansgruber2509
      @hansgruber2509 Рік тому +18

      That is classic bull-shite. 2000 rounds thru a balloon will turn it to swiss cheese and down it goes

    • @mexcore14
      @mexcore14 Рік тому +12

      @@hansgruber2509 anything capable of shooting so many bullets will not be as accurate at a distance

    • @Galvalera
      @Galvalera Рік тому +20

      The Australians found that out in the 1950's where they used 2 machine guns against a bunch of emus and the emus are still alive wandering around Western Australia.

    • @hansgruber2509
      @hansgruber2509 Рік тому +1

      @@FlukeyLuke But shooting a missile is perfectly safe?

  • @ryansutton4379
    @ryansutton4379 Рік тому +143

    Thanks for using my video!! I was watching it most of the day. It looked like there were 2 fighters circling it and they left as the 1 f22 came in to take the shot. It was awesome witnessing the first air to air over US soil, maybe since Pearl Harbor?

    • @delta34golf
      @delta34golf Рік тому +12

      Hawaii becomes a US State in 1959, so I think that puts Pearl out as a US State. It also would out Alaska out, as it also became a state in 1959. But as US Territories that are now US States, I think Alaska takes it with the Battle of Dutch Harbor, June 3-4, 1943. As for Territories, I imagine it would be Guam, which was in 1944, but it's not now a US State. Anyways, interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing the video Ryan.

    • @looneyburgmusic
      @looneyburgmusic Рік тому +1

      @@delta34golf If we are talking any US soil, State or territory, then it most likely would have been one of the Pacific islands or the Philippines that saw the first ever air-to-air combat/kill.

    • @xdaisy155
      @xdaisy155 Рік тому +2

      Shooting balloon could be so exciting? Anyway it could be a weather balloon at the end of the day.

    • @irgendwieanders2121
      @irgendwieanders2121 Рік тому +5

      The wet part - after the gritty bits - is called ocean 🙂
      Soil is the thing before the gritty bits, mostly recognizable by the green bits sticking out of it 🙃
      I'll show myself out

    • @erwinschmidt7265
      @erwinschmidt7265 Рік тому +2

      Ryan Sutton - Yeah Buddy!! I'm kinda old as Gramps Henry Ford's 1st Apprentice in '01, but in my cloudy cobwebbed memory, I think there was mention of a take-down of enemy piloted aircraft over...............Pennsylvania, on 9-11?

  • @nt6470
    @nt6470 Рік тому

    really appreciate the concise clarity

  • @chrisvaaler
    @chrisvaaler Рік тому +1

    Thank you for your honest assessment of a situation that has so much misinformation, and memes, around it. I have always appreciated your honest takes, humor, and respect for your profession.
    Your video on this subject is a master class.

  • @vandyvoot1
    @vandyvoot1 Рік тому +205

    Sir, thank you for explaining this in military terminology yet didn't get too far that any fan of military aviation wouldn't get too lost by, if at all. Retired USAF guy myself who actually was fortunate enough to make a repair for an F-18 as well. I admit, I was wondering why not guns and you explained it clearly. Great video.

    • @fastwing3295
      @fastwing3295 Рік тому +2

      The USAF had F/A-18s?
      Since when?

    • @saladmancer8151
      @saladmancer8151 Рік тому

      @@fastwing3295 isn't there a US law that punishes people for lying about being in the military? I am not from the US so i don't know

    • @jonsafuhto9220
      @jonsafuhto9220 Рік тому

      USAF & F-18 = SUS

    • @davidtsiangwy
      @davidtsiangwy Рік тому +2

      @@fastwing3295 It's highly likely that this person is making this up because the F-18 never served in the US Air Force.

    • @fastwing3295
      @fastwing3295 Рік тому +1

      @@davidtsiangwy Yeah. I know. Hence the 'since when'.

  • @RCI136
    @RCI136 Рік тому +128

    Thanks for the video Mover, I have seen a lot of people ask why they didn't use the 20 mm. Also thought the story was cool that the pilots used the call sign 'FRANK01' FRANK02 in an apparent homage to a heroic pilot Frank Luke Jr. an American fighter ace in World War I better known as the 'Arizona Balloon Buster.' He is credited with shooting down 14 German surveillance balloons."

    • @michaelbenjmitchell1
      @michaelbenjmitchell1 Рік тому +9

      Did you know that Frank Luke was a member of Eddie RickenBacher's 94th Aero Squadron.

    • @RCI136
      @RCI136 Рік тому +6

      @@michaelbenjmitchell1 I didn't but I am enjoying reading about now, Thanks!

    • @justalpha9138
      @justalpha9138 Рік тому +2

      Oh that's neat!

    • @gotanon9659
      @gotanon9659 Рік тому +5

      Canada tried to do that with an out of control hot air ballon after firing houndres of 20mm rounds into the ballon it...still kept flying eventually crashing in the atlantic ocean.

    • @bgdabg6769
      @bgdabg6769 Рік тому +1

      So there is USA history of fighting balloons, hahahahahah

  • @AlbaAdventures
    @AlbaAdventures Рік тому

    Thanks for summarizing this for us.

  • @ardyzink7928
    @ardyzink7928 Рік тому +14

    My concern, right or wrong, is that it was a dry run for a EMP delivery system. And, of course, I am not alone in that thought. Good video.

  • @bonsaibobrip61
    @bonsaibobrip61 Рік тому +89

    99 spy balloons
    Floating in the winter sky
    Panic bells, it's red alert
    There's something here from Somewhere else
    The war machine springs to life
    Opens up one eager eye
    Focusing it on the sky
    The 99 spy balloons go by

    • @LocoFan611
      @LocoFan611 Рік тому +11

      I'm glad to see someone else thought of "99 Red Balloons" (Neunundneunzig rote Luftballons) in regards to this. Thanks for the new lyrics.

    • @100pyatt
      @100pyatt Рік тому +3

      🤣🏆🏆🏆

    • @skie6282
      @skie6282 Рік тому

      99 washington Street
      99 senators meet
      To worry, worry, never scurry
      Call the troops out in a hurry
      This is what we've waited for
      This is it boys, this is war
      The President is on the line
      As 99 spy balloons go by...
      Need this to be a cover

    • @mattai075
      @mattai075 Рік тому +1

      99 Decision Street
      Ninety-nine ministers meet
      To worry, worry, super-scurry
      Call the troops out in a hurry
      This is what we've waited for
      This is it, boys, this is war
      The president is on the line
      As ninety-nine spy balloons go by
      Great song, sadly relevant.

    • @RiemsAI
      @RiemsAI Рік тому

      hey i know this song! LOL

  • @RamblingRodeo
    @RamblingRodeo Рік тому +39

    I appreicate the breakdown, i sent you the audio of the two pilots via email, thank you for explaining why they didn't use potential guns on the aircraft, that makes sense.... It is why i love listening to you when things happen, you give the REAL position and no bullshit!

    • @DSTsucks
      @DSTsucks Рік тому +4

      Where can we find the audio. Do you know if it's posted anywhere?

    • @Zephyrion__
      @Zephyrion__ Рік тому +4

      Where can the audio be found

    • @RamblingRodeo
      @RamblingRodeo Рік тому

      @@Zephyrion__ ua-cam.com/video/sMqRgAbPGMI/v-deo.html&ab_channel=Jabbers

  • @SoCarBuckeye
    @SoCarBuckeye Рік тому +12

    Great vid, i was watching it from my fire station in NMB. I was not expectingthe shoot so i have the after vid and i was alot more excited than the guy who took this vid. Mines more explicit in language lol. There seemed to be 2 flights (4 aircraft) circling, then they seemed to move to a staging area to the north. One fighter broke off and bee lined to the balloon and thats when the shoot happened. The explosion could be heard shortly after. The initial shoot aircraft immediately moved off to the soutwest and a sonic boom could be heard. Im guessing to escape debris because there was a metric shit ton falling, and im assuming that was mainly the solar panels. Looked like a bunch of flashes from the sun flickering off of the falling chunks. One aircraft stayed with the balloon and circled it as it fell. The other 3 departed shortly after. The sense of pride was overwelming honestly. Truely Awesome.

  • @deanwilliams433
    @deanwilliams433 Рік тому +1

    Great breakdown Mover!

  • @larrymangold1048
    @larrymangold1048 Рік тому +70

    As a former SIGINT analyst, I think your assessment on the delay is correct.

    • @f.m.4138
      @f.m.4138 Рік тому

      So why do you need 6+ days of intel gathering after you were gathering intel on it over the Pacific, Canada, then Montana…. It makes no sense to let them use this equipment on a complete overflight of the US when you probably had all of the useful data you needed before it even got here and certainly after it transited Minuteman sites in Montana. This was a complete and total failure of leadership. Utter stupidity.

    • @ssarkees
      @ssarkees Рік тому

      Yup,,, What's the point of a ballon when you can use satellites and Signals Intel? this was china's way of saying F-You for the Pelosi visit to Taiwan.

    • @coyoteannabis1192
      @coyoteannabis1192 2 місяці тому

      I dated a chick that had been in both the AF and the navy. RC-135's in the AF, P-3's and P-8's in the Navy.
      Just the unclassified stuff she told me about what those flying nerds can do, I can assure every American that that balloon sent back nothing but d**k pics and Winne The Pooh memes the entire time it was over US airspace...
      We didn't wait to shoot it down for safety, we waited because the sparkys were having too much fun with it.

  • @LL-ib5oj
    @LL-ib5oj Рік тому +7

    The F-22 is the only fighter in history to never suffer an air to air loss from a ballon any ballon.

  • @1833marine
    @1833marine Рік тому

    Great Explanation Mover.

  • @justaninja1
    @justaninja1 Рік тому +5

    "Balloons don't shoot back."
    - Bruce Lee

  • @PassportBrosBusinessClass
    @PassportBrosBusinessClass Рік тому +26

    The pilot is now immortalized!

    • @mikek9297
      @mikek9297 Рік тому +8

      TopGun 3 : Baloon Popper

    • @michaelripperger5674
      @michaelripperger5674 Рік тому +2

      Balloon buster !

    • @majboomer1285
      @majboomer1285 Рік тому +4

      Wonder if they will change his callsign to Carnival or Popper etc...lol

    • @v.dargain1678
      @v.dargain1678 Рік тому +1

      Yeah right . He been immortalized by both sides . You stupid if you think BIG RED is going to let a political insult like that be forgotten easily .

  • @hawgbreath
    @hawgbreath Рік тому +18

    Really appreciate the professional explanation of this event, thanks!

  • @alakazoom87
    @alakazoom87 Рік тому +1

    Good points made.. thanks for explaining

  • @glenndavis7315
    @glenndavis7315 Рік тому +1

    Thank you for the explanation!

  • @deef6844
    @deef6844 Рік тому +152

    The first aircraft shot down over the United States was by Squadron Leader Ken Boomer, Royal Canadian Air Force on September 25, 1942 over Kiska Island, against a Nakajima Rufe (a Zero floatplane). A second Rufe was shot down shortly thereafter by Major John Chennault, USAAF, who was flying in the same fomation of P40s.

    • @brainandforce
      @brainandforce Рік тому

      Is this the first air-to-air kill over the continental United States?

    • @zipz4777
      @zipz4777 Рік тому +24

      Alaska was not a state until 1959.

    • @toddtheiste5068
      @toddtheiste5068 Рік тому +17

      Wouldn't the first have been over Pearl Harbor? Makes this the first kill over Continental US.

    • @goingtoscotland
      @goingtoscotland Рік тому +17

      @@toddtheiste5068 Neither Alaska nor Hawaii were actually part of the US during WWII.

    • @wisenber
      @wisenber Рік тому +3

      @@zipz4777 "Alaska was not a state until 1959."
      Nor was Hawaii, yet that seemed like enough to have the US declare war.

  • @robertshiell887
    @robertshiell887 Рік тому +6

    That was an excellent breakdown of events, just the facts with little hype or drama; very refreshing!

  • @AKRING30
    @AKRING30 Рік тому

    Great video thank you fantastic summary

  • @alanlukes2503
    @alanlukes2503 Рік тому

    Sensible review of the event. Thanks Mover.

  • @gabrielvazquez1691
    @gabrielvazquez1691 Рік тому +3

    Great insight perspective and analysis, as always, Mover. We thank you.

  • @artdogg179
    @artdogg179 Рік тому +4

    Such a great breakdown of this balloon event. Thanks!

  • @rrocketman
    @rrocketman Рік тому

    Thanks for the discussion bro

  • @dallasyap3064
    @dallasyap3064 Рік тому

    Thanks Mover for the great and simple explanation.

  • @CanuckFlyer
    @CanuckFlyer Рік тому +14

    Thank you for this video. Great explanations of questions we all had 👍

    • @maxwhite3981
      @maxwhite3981 Рік тому

      👍

    • @MRsolidcolor
      @MRsolidcolor Рік тому

      yeah the reason they waited IS: shocker
      joe biden and this admiration are in the pocket of the Chinese.. the paper tails cant be hid and its getting exposed.. and the "general" in charge is "i want to know about white rage", and the same guy that called china and told them hey if we are going to attack you ill be giving you a call to inform you first.....
      Yeah its obvious why is we let to go all over the us and they even canceled flights till it past.... that's weakness you stopped our who country because you feared a balloon from CHINA... more like they where told to let it go and did as they was told....

  • @austinado16
    @austinado16 Рік тому +145

    Outstanding video. In Ward Carroll's vid today, he mentions that they disarmed the missile so that it would just knock the payload off, without exploding it. I don't know if that's true or not. I cracked up at your debrief photo at the end....well played!!! And I truly hope there's an F22 with a balloon kill icon painted on the fuselage!!
    EDIT: Sorry, I see that a dozen other people have referenced Ward's vid in the comments. I hadn't read down far enough.

    • @BlueZirnitra
      @BlueZirnitra Рік тому +1

      @@barrygrant2907 it was a poof not a boom. You had to struggle to identify the impact. Definitely doubt any firepower was involved. It's a bloody balloon lol.

    • @tonyv8925
      @tonyv8925 Рік тому +1

      @@barrygrant2907 It could have been just the igniter charge instead of an operational warhead.

    • @TheCyberMantis
      @TheCyberMantis Рік тому +3

      It looks like it hit the tether cable. The payload was falling in-tact. Very precise hit. Good job. No doubt, the NAVY recovered it, and the DARPA gang can analyze it.

    • @SternLX
      @SternLX Рік тому +15

      @@tonyv8925 As a maintainer of AIM-9X's... they don't get delivered to the Air Craft as a Live AUR(All Up Round) without a Warhead. No such thing as an "Igniter Charge". No one in Ops orders a Live missile with a CAP warhead on a live Motor when that AC is assigned to Alert status. Ever. The Warhead is armed on the ground. The Pilot's Master Arm switch controls the Fuse arming and rocket motor arming. They(fuse and rocket motor) cannot be armed separately. There is literally a T-handle that has to be lifted and rotated on the body to arm the Warhead and Rocket motor(they're on the same electrical circuit). That task is completed by ground crew on the EOR(end of runway) pad. Civ's call it a Run up area. Either way, that AIM-9 was a 100% live round and used to it's designed ability.

    • @enisten
      @enisten Рік тому +2

      @@TheCyberMantis Is it possible to shoot a cable from 5,000 ft away? Also, what do you think caused the balloon to explode then?

  • @TaterRogers
    @TaterRogers Рік тому +24

    Hey Mover! Did you feel the AIM9 coming off the rail at all? Former Viper crew chief at Nellis aggressor unit. We were the first VIper unit to become aggressors when the F5's were retired. :)

  • @thepathnotfound
    @thepathnotfound Рік тому +3

    Living close to Myrtle Beach this hit close to home, this was the clearest and more informative description of what happened! Thx

  • @mrtotoro123
    @mrtotoro123 Рік тому +4

    Thanks for the clear/concise/technical explanation. Much appreciated.

  • @BezRengifo
    @BezRengifo Рік тому

    I enjoyed the very thoughtful and informative video. Thank you 🙂

  • @diraziz396
    @diraziz396 Рік тому

    Thanks C.W. Also for the Tune at the end.

  • @afterburn2600
    @afterburn2600 Рік тому +13

    You do us and this whole country a service. Thanks for all of it. Another great summary of events which are unfortunately plastered with misinformation [from other sources] flying everywhere.

  • @WhiskeyTango84
    @WhiskeyTango84 Рік тому +45

    a lot of people appreciate your insight in this manner. People in my state comment on how they would have shot it down if it came over their county....Again, if this was used to gather intelligence, thats why they didnt fly over my state. Thanks again.

    • @austinado16
      @austinado16 Рік тому +7

      😂😂😂😂 Thank you for the laugh.

    • @davem2369
      @davem2369 Рік тому

      In all my looks into the history of intelligence gathering u don't think I've ever seen a situation were if a source of intelligence gathering has been found they didn't take advantage of feeding it false info. This is apparently the fifth balloon in several years. I'd expect they've discovered a lot about how to fuck with them

    • @WhiskeyTango84
      @WhiskeyTango84 Рік тому

      @@austinado16 anytime

    • @shane7133
      @shane7133 Рік тому

      Lol

    • @Justanotherconsumer
      @Justanotherconsumer Рік тому

      a burn for the ages, that one.

  • @Barbasnoo
    @Barbasnoo Рік тому

    Love seeing the "Altitude, Airspeed, Brains" sign on the wall. Immediately took me back to the Spectre book series where I first read that saying.

  • @VIAGRA465
    @VIAGRA465 Рік тому

    The pilot of that F-22 deserves a medal for risking his life to shoot down an airstrip.

  • @mrmike9803
    @mrmike9803 Рік тому +10

    Thanks for the video. A lot of great information. I was confused about the use of the Aim-9x until I saw your explanation. I did not know a fox-2 was able to track a balloon before your explanation

    • @deadshot4245
      @deadshot4245 Рік тому +2

      Any heat source greater than the background I’d imagine it would be able to see

  • @Chinfo32
    @Chinfo32 Рік тому

    Thank You for your Professional opinion!!! Your the Best, Mover!!!

  • @anthonyc5039
    @anthonyc5039 Рік тому +1

    I can’t wait for the DCS Spy Balloon update!

  • @willywayne5299
    @willywayne5299 Рік тому +31

    Should of sent up another balloon with the Red Bull guy,he jumps on the China balloon,sets a world record for transfer of balloons!

    • @CWLemoine
      @CWLemoine  Рік тому +33

      Somebody call Tom Cruise!

    • @rr4298
      @rr4298 Рік тому +2

      Or those idiots who changed planes mid air , it could have been there sentence .

    • @markman613
      @markman613 Рік тому

      We should have captured it alive and put it in next years Macys parade.

    • @ronneidert
      @ronneidert Рік тому +1

      They were fined for loss of control I believe.

    • @carbon1255
      @carbon1255 Рік тому

      @@CWLemoine He does his own stunts, don't you know :P

  • @maxreuv
    @maxreuv Рік тому +41

    Drama free and unbiased, as usual, thank you!

  • @jozsefpalkovics917
    @jozsefpalkovics917 Рік тому +7

    Excellent video Mover! Is there any intel on if they discovered this balloon the instant it flew into US airspace or only well after that? In the latter case it could be a serious threat if equipped with any kind of weaponry...

    • @SpecJack15
      @SpecJack15 Рік тому +4

      NORAD knew the balloon was headed into U.S. when it came over the Aleutian Islands. They knew in advance.

    • @jozsefpalkovics917
      @jozsefpalkovics917 Рік тому

      @@SpecJack15 Now that's good news.

  • @WarthunderClipsAndShorts
    @WarthunderClipsAndShorts Рік тому

    From what I''m understanding of the situation, the Aim9 was a programmed air burst round, it's goal was to target the midbody and airburst next to it to limit damage to the equipment, and maximize the damage to the baloon portion.

  • @randyadkins4622
    @randyadkins4622 Рік тому +60

    Everyone is so glad this "air battle" went in our favor ! We were all on the edge of our seats !

    • @jamesbrown5262
      @jamesbrown5262 Рік тому +3

      US lost this battle, China was allowed to accomplished their mission.

    • @osmoregulatoryorgan
      @osmoregulatoryorgan Рік тому

      @@jamesbrown5262 I get the feeling Biden was waiting for the ok from China once they got what they needed.

    • @xdviper4518
      @xdviper4518 Рік тому +8

      @@jamesbrown5262 and you know what the mission was do you? Chinese spy much... lol

    • @sethadkins546
      @sethadkins546 Рік тому

      @@jamesbrown5262 how the hell do you know

    • @ryanhodin5014
      @ryanhodin5014 Рік тому

      @@jamesbrown5262 There's nothing the balloon could tell them that a satellite couldn't... Except maybe how quickly the US can shoot down a target like a slow-moving balloon.
      If we just tell China, and the world "Hey, we can see this thing! Look where it is!", we're saying we have the capability to shoot it down, but we don't care to.
      Then, we shoot it down over water after a massive delay (meaning we've revealed nothing about our capability), and that way it splashes down in a condition where maybe we can recover it and study it to see what it was actually supposed to do.
      So China has learned nothing, and the US has a cool balloon to study.
      How did the US lose again?

  • @scrubvision5652
    @scrubvision5652 Рік тому +7

    as always a solid objective analysis good job mate

  • @faronanderson2536
    @faronanderson2536 Рік тому

    Great shot.First go!👍🏽

  • @erichuff2538
    @erichuff2538 Рік тому

    Great video sir 👍.

  • @BOGOWA22
    @BOGOWA22 Рік тому +115

    Laugh all you want about the target being a balloon and stuff. The crazy part is that the intercept happened near the edge of jet fighter's ceiling, yet debris fell within 12 miles off shore. That's surgical coordination and intercept imho. Heard that the warhead in that AIM9X was removed/deactivated to make sure that debris of the spy balloon could be as intact as possible for analysis after retrieval. Kudos to that Raptor driver and everyone involved.

    • @integrity262
      @integrity262 Рік тому +7

      Well said Sir.

    • @integrity262
      @integrity262 Рік тому +13

      Hard for most of society to see and comprehend the importance of any subject matter as a whole these days.

    • @ketelin4285
      @ketelin4285 Рік тому +8

      I laugh about allowing the "spy baloon" to complete it's mission . A farce

    • @Xeno88
      @Xeno88 Рік тому +7

      "Raptor Driver" ah yes the driver is so talented as a pilot of toyota prius i can confirm.

    • @morm608
      @morm608 Рік тому +3

      Lol surgical, as if they weren't shooting a sitting duck.

  • @MrLittlelawyer
    @MrLittlelawyer Рік тому +12

    Solar panels have a very strong IR signature. That is probably what the AIM-9 locked onto, and it looks like it smacked right into them

  • @CommomsenseSmith
    @CommomsenseSmith Рік тому +4

    Thanks Mover, I was one of them who were saying they should have just went after it sooner and shot it with the 20mm also. You put it in very good perspective. I was also overflown by the two F15s heading from MA to the kill zone I was wondering where they were going…

  • @radders261
    @radders261 Рік тому

    A brilliantly balanced review mate!

  • @tonywatkins6139
    @tonywatkins6139 Рік тому +17

    Thanks Mover, excellent video and commentary on this incident.
    The only thing that would’ve been an improvement is if you’d been interviewed on a major news network. Your insights and thoughts are leaps and bounds better than anything I’ve heard out there so far.

  • @briangulley6027
    @briangulley6027 Рік тому +152

    The USAF will award the pilot an Air Force Cross for his/her brave engagement with the balloon. I wonder if they painted a balloon on the side of the jet. This is how the pilot described the encounter, "There I was closing at 500 kts when I spotted the balloon, I went to max burner and pulled hard up and right, I kept my eyes on the balloon as it increased speed to 30 kts. I thought to myself it's now or never and I rolled in with my fangs out knowing I was risking everything. When the radar locked on, I felt bad for the balloon because its death was moments away. I suppressed those thoughts and let my training take over and I fired. I felt a thrill as the missile streaked toward the doomed balloon. Seconds later I had my first kill, like many firsts in my life I'll never forget this one." Of course, being a pilot, he used his hands to show the maneuvers as his described them. Thrilling story wouldn't you agree.

    • @ArizonaAstraLLC
      @ArizonaAstraLLC Рік тому +16

      There is a killmark already lol

    • @jasondelaney6849
      @jasondelaney6849 Рік тому +3

      will the pilot an award?

    • @pregnant9574
      @pregnant9574 Рік тому +3

      🤣

    • @leyvajavier
      @leyvajavier Рік тому +3

      "...with my fangs out knowing I was risking everything. [ b/c that's how aggressive I am] When the radar..."

    • @charletonzimmerman4205
      @charletonzimmerman4205 Рік тому +6

      Don't forget about, his "Wingman" , you see a "Balloon" can a 'CLOWN" 🤡, be far away ? Waiting to "Pounce" ? "Scratch, "ONE" Balloon !🎈

  • @a.gabriel9109
    @a.gabriel9109 Рік тому

    Good job. Finally. 👍

  • @kabulpaws3386
    @kabulpaws3386 Рік тому +1

    The f22 is amazing because that baloon is fast and agile and the baloon has scary air to air combat capabilities of it's own

  • @dsdy1205
    @dsdy1205 Рік тому +3

    Absolutely the most stylish way to pop a balloon

  • @shaider1982
    @shaider1982 Рік тому +95

    Thanks for explaining on how they attacked it that it will be easy for the Aim-9X to track. I though it wasn't useful as the target did not have an engine. Still impressive how this missile has improved. I remember reading that the early versions can be confused by the sun.

    • @Bova-Fett
      @Bova-Fett Рік тому +5

      Even modern versions can be confused by the sun. Hard to counteract that if its going off pure IR

    • @goddepersonno3782
      @goddepersonno3782 Рік тому +6

      there's been a massive host of improvements
      modern AIM-9X is one helluva beast
      original AIM-9A/Bs had a very specific flight envolope they could be fired in, pulled less than 15gs, and had to be fired specifically at the enemy jet's exhaust in order to track, and then the track was easily lost or evaded
      modern AIM-9X can pull around 50gs from memory, has all aspect lock, can ignore flares, possesses airburst capability, and with a 5th gen helmet mounted display can lock and engage targets from 270 degrees pilot vision

    • @F_Reduction
      @F_Reduction Рік тому

      They don’t tell you have advanced their missiles are. This one’s might be older than the version using for the future 6th gen fighter jets. We normal people would never know what kind of weapons the government is making.

  • @melissajenniferjones9959
    @melissajenniferjones9959 Рік тому

    Thank you Sir! Good aim!! 🦅🦅🦅🦅❤️❤️❤️❤️🌹🌹🌹

  • @badasserien8518
    @badasserien8518 Рік тому

    Thirty-plus years of service. Combat medals. Citations. Only man to shoot down one balloon in the last 40 years.

  • @RamadiTaxiDriver60M
    @RamadiTaxiDriver60M Рік тому +11

    A kill is a kill. Sitting around KMMT listening to Generals ask if we could hit it with flechettes. Not at that altitude sir, lol. Thought the guys at Shaw would get the call.

  • @EmperorBun
    @EmperorBun Рік тому +39

    excellent, balanced, informative take on this. I learned a lot and you answered my "why not use the gun" question. Subbed!

    • @tylisirn
      @tylisirn Рік тому

      Balloons have been a problem for fighters' guns ever since World War 1. Observation blimps were some of the hardest targets to bring down, because bullets just make holes which are barely an inconvenience to the blimp, and those blimps were even filled with hydrogen! (Because they were completely *full* of hydrogen, there wasn't any oxygen inside, so the hydrogen couldn't burn until the blimps had lots and lots of holes perforated in them, and thus even incendiary rounds had hard time bringing them down.)

  • @elvo6217
    @elvo6217 Рік тому

    Very thorough review . I loved your opinion on it

  • @BelowAverageCreations
    @BelowAverageCreations Рік тому

    I watched a cool video that showed the balloon footage and in the corner they had the air traffic radar up. You could see the air force circling for quite some time, as the civilian passenger planes were being diverted further inland before the shot was taken.

  • @YG-zv3me
    @YG-zv3me Рік тому +4

    I remember when I had my first Air to Air kill against a balloon, I was Five at my sister's birth day party...

  • @davidwearmouth851
    @davidwearmouth851 Рік тому +3

    A well-executed, professional exercise. Good job, guys !!

    • @thejoker2214
      @thejoker2214 Рік тому

      Yeahhhh against a non defending Balloon !
      Ahahahahahah 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 are you kiding us hahahahjaha.

  • @toddbrackett4277
    @toddbrackett4277 Рік тому

    Love your take on TicTok vs the balloon 🎈

  • @charlizesakura4468
    @charlizesakura4468 Рік тому

    I love your explanations🙂

  • @supertec2023
    @supertec2023 Рік тому +12

    If you want to read a good story about shooting down a drone . There's an old story called The Battle of Palmdale and you can find out what happens when you're shooting at things and things don't go the way you planned them to go

  • @jonathanregan4344
    @jonathanregan4344 Рік тому +5

    Also just to add, I don’t know if you said but per what I’ve heard they said with the aim 9x sidewinder is that it has no warhead on it, so that way it would do less damage to anything attached to the ballon.

    • @stab74
      @stab74 Рік тому

      That's what Ward Carroll reported on his channel.

    • @Dyson_Cyberdynesystems
      @Dyson_Cyberdynesystems Рік тому +1

      People forget that the warhead on a sidewinder isn't there to damage the target. Instead it disperses the fragments for a kinetic kill.

  • @patrickmulligan4440
    @patrickmulligan4440 Рік тому

    Never been prouder to be at Langley 🤙🏼

  • @bogdantzu12
    @bogdantzu12 Рік тому +1

    Hello Mover,can you explain, the contrails at that high altitude?In dcs after 40000ft you dont get any cons

  • @rogueldr642smiythe9
    @rogueldr642smiythe9 Рік тому +34

    A US pilot in his parachute with a 1911 has more air to air kills than the raptor.

    • @classicgalactica5879
      @classicgalactica5879 Рік тому +1

      The best weapon is the one you never have to use.

    • @BillyBobDingo1971
      @BillyBobDingo1971 Рік тому

      😂

    • @rogueldr642smiythe9
      @rogueldr642smiythe9 Рік тому

      @@classicgalactica5879 Listen the best weapon is the one you only have to use ONCE!!!! Katee Sackhoff is a better Starbuck!

    • @GOD719
      @GOD719 Рік тому +2

      @@classicgalactica5879 I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon that you only have to fire once. That's how dad did it. That's how America does it. And it worked out pretty good so far

    • @rogueldr642smiythe9
      @rogueldr642smiythe9 Рік тому

      @@GOD719 DEADPOOL TO SAVE STARK!!!!

  • @cab6273
    @cab6273 Рік тому +6

    “Respect the man who gets into a lot of fights and wins, but fear the man everyone is afraid to fight.”

    • @VunderGuy
      @VunderGuy Рік тому +1

      So the man who gets into a lot of fights is America and the collective west and the man everyone is afraid to fight is Russia and the collective Beijing-Moscow axis, right?

    • @cab6273
      @cab6273 Рік тому

      @@VunderGuy uhh…no.
      But good try. 👍

  • @PatriciaFreddy
    @PatriciaFreddy Рік тому +1

    It took a 100 million dollar US stealth fighter jet to intercept a 100 dollar Chinese balloon. The power of the Chinese balloon is STAGGERING!

  • @brennanleadbetter9708
    @brennanleadbetter9708 Рік тому +1

    The F-22 has yet to face a worthy opponent.

  • @brndnlvdm690s
    @brndnlvdm690s Рік тому +5

    The balloon couldn’t outrate the Raptor.😂

  • @brettwagner2950
    @brettwagner2950 Рік тому +5

    Good vid! The F22 is invincible! You don't hear stories of SU57 shooting down balloons haha!

    • @austinado16
      @austinado16 Рік тому +2

      Because our Russian friends would have smoked that thing 2 minutes after it launched, without saying a word, ever.
      "Hey.....what just happened to our "civilian weather information gathering" balloon? It was doing fine.... where'd it go?"

    • @logicplague2077
      @logicplague2077 Рік тому +1

      You barely hear of an Su-57 even flying, to say nothing of firing weapons.

  • @stuge2589
    @stuge2589 Рік тому +1

    Another (and perhaps the main) reason why I imagine no one would like to use the gun for this is that at 60000 ft flying at a stationary target the closure rate will be insanely high so the time window to put an accurate burst into it is very small, especially if you want to target the payload, and your capabitility to maneuver is minimal, so colliding with the balloon or debris seems like a real risk. Very different from the intended use of the gun from behind another fighter that is flying at a similar speed in front of you (minimal closure), turning, at lower altitude, at dogfighting speeds, and you can relax your turn or jink after your burst to avoid debris.

  • @WinchesterDelta1
    @WinchesterDelta1 Рік тому +75

    What i was thinking that this balloon might have been used for sensor intelligence. Imagine all the EWR, search radars, track radars and fighter radars they might have triggered. One of the applications could be data for an RWR for their fighters and bombers. And probably way more applications. I'm just thinking out loud now. It might be silly.

    • @BreandanAnraoi
      @BreandanAnraoi Рік тому +7

      This was exactly my reaction

    • @VeeAreSixed1
      @VeeAreSixed1 Рік тому +15

      Which is also a plausible reason for not shooting it down, the images it could have collected weren't beyond satellite capabilities the Chinese likely already have. the US were taking the opportunity to spy on and observe the balloon. Something that slow and obvious would have given every military base enough warning to hide sensitive information and equipment before the balloon was within range.

    • @zemog1025
      @zemog1025 Рік тому +13

      I would say it was definitely a signals reconnaissance effort, but I might also be crazy.

    • @noahhastings6145
      @noahhastings6145 Рік тому

      @@VeeAreSixed1 SIGINT takes backseat to eliminating a clear and present danger to the US. Lord only knows what could have been on that balloon. Not shooting it down as soon as we found it was plain incompetence.

    • @WindFireAllThatKindOfThing
      @WindFireAllThatKindOfThing Рік тому

      I think it likely they just wanted to see how slow we were to react to a stunt no one has pulled since the Japanese floated Incendiaries transcontinentally in 1944. And if nothing else, they possess mystical (and shameless) Kung Fu powers for spinning literally anything into propaganda, no matter how laughable. They'll use this.

  • @nexus1g
    @nexus1g Рік тому +15

    I'd already guessed that they were gathering information themselves from the path of the balloon and potentially from data recovery. I didn't think about tipping our hand on our methods to respond to threats.

    • @paulclarke3132
      @paulclarke3132 Рік тому +2

      Tipping our hand on our methods??? You mean like detecting it? Heck, I could see it from my back yard. You mean like shooting it down with a fighter jet? I guess now they know we have fighter jets with rockets. .

    • @nexus1g
      @nexus1g Рік тому +2

      @@paulclarke3132 You good?

    • @VunderGuy
      @VunderGuy Рік тому

      The level of spin in your statement would have been passable if the morons at the pentagon weren't also propagating and losing a proxy war against an opponent they are admittedly too cowardly and incompetent to fight directly. An opponent also tied at the hip with the squinty eyes. So no, stick you're 'the spooks had good reason not to immediately blow that up when they had the chance. Trust me bro' and shove it. Like a normal functioning human being, most people are just going to rightly assume that this whole debacle is just more incompetence and cowardice.

    • @INOD-2
      @INOD-2 Рік тому

      I think our military was actually listening to the balloon and what it was transmitting back to China since well before it entered our airspace. If it was transmitting anything very sensitive, we certainly have the ability to jam the transmissions. Heck, we might have even hacked it and were sending the Chinese FAKE intel on it!

  • @Hustler9g
    @Hustler9g Рік тому

    "they just shot it, let's go!" Had me dying