A new breed of China’s unmanned hypersonic aircraft can now challenge the aerodynamic performance of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the US military, according to a group of scientists from Beijing.
China’s new hypersonic drone beats F-22 in aerodynamic efficiency: study (archived)
The Pentagon has released footage showing a Russian fighter jet flying near an American drone above Syria, as Moscow and Washington continue to trade accusations over unsafe aerial operations.
US Accuses Russia of ‘Harassing Our Drones’ Over Syria
One of the five Turkish F-35A fighter jets seized by the US Air Force has landed at Luke Air Force Base, Maricopa, Arizona. The combat stealth fighter has serial number 18-0002. It is the number that proves that this fighter was produced and intended for the Turkish Air Force.
Watch: ‘Turkish’ F-35A lands at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona
Military says objects are thought to have landed in difficult terrain, after hobbyists suggested one could belong to them.
US military ends search for balloons shot down over Alaska and Lake Huron
Most likely, we’ll never know if they really did shoot down a pico balloon. They’re too embarrassed.
Related:
Did an F-22 shoot down an Illinois hobby group’s small radio balloon?
A military spokesperson tells NPR it’s their understanding that the FBI has spoken to the hobbyist group in question — the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade, based just north of Chicago — in an apparent attempt to determine whether their small balloon might have inadvertently caused a big ruckus.
…
When the prediction showed K9YO-15 heading from Alaska over the Yukon, [Dan] Bowen said, “we really hoped it wouldn’t be intercepted. But we knew the moment that the intercept was reported, whose it was and which one it was.”
Asked if he believes the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade’s balloon was shot down, Bowen didn’t hesitate.
“Yes. Absolutely,” he said. “You know, I would say with 98% certainty.”
A small, globe-trotting balloon declared “missing in action” by an Illinois-based hobbyist club on Feb. 15 has emerged as a candidate to explain one of the three mystery objects shot down by four heat-seeking missiles launched by U.S. Air Force fighters since Feb. 10.
The club—the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade (NIBBB)—is not pointing fingers yet.
Hobby Club’s Missing Balloon Feared Shot Down By USAF
Mystery Over Missing Sidewinder Missile That Failed to Shoot Down UFO
But the F-16 jet tasked with shooting the object over Lake Huron on Sunday “missed on its first attempt,” according to Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson.
Citing U.S. officials, Tomlinson wrote on Twitter that a second Sidewinder air-to-air missile was required, and it is “not clear where the first missile landed.”
A Defense Department spokesperson told Newsweek they were “certainly aware of the reporting on this,” but did not have any other details they could provide at this time. [Yet Kirby ‘can’t’ confirm that it happened]
…
“The warhead is relatively small, as is the missile, limiting potential damage if it misses or something goes wrong,” [Jodi] Vittori previously told Newsweek.
National Security Council spokesperson, John Kirby, said on Monday that the objects downed in Alaska and Canada “are in remote and wintry terrain,” with the object over Michigan likely to be “in very deep water in Lake Huron.” This makes salvage operations more difficult, he added.
Thanks to Dave DeCamp for this find! FYI, according to Wikipedia, the Sidewinder is almost 10 feet long, 5 inches wide, and 188 pounds. The warhead, itself, is 20.8 pounds. They’re shooting down these unidentified objects, all willy nilly, but I’m not supposed to be concerned about a missing missle?! Sorry, not sorry, this one hit too close to home! Time to look for more memes, I guess! 😅
Related:
Jet that shot down unidentified object over Lake Huron took off from Madison (missing missile was noticed when the F-16s landed back in Wisconsin)
Read More »
Airforce Spent Millions To Shot Down A Failed U.S. Weather Balloon – Biden Is Happy It Did So
So it looks like the airforce sent up an AWACS surveillance plane, a tanker and an F-22, the most expensive fighter plane ever, to fire a $400,000 Sidewinder missile to take down a failed weather balloon.
U.S. Military Confirms Third UFO Shootdown in North American Skies in Recent Days
This latest shootdown comes on the heels of a dramatic increase in UFO sightings all over the world, leading many to question what is really happening in our skies. The scientific community has taken notice, with leading experts conducting studies and investigations into the nature of these objects.
While some believe that these UFO’s could be advanced technology from other countries, others believe that they could be evidence of extraterrestrial life. Regardless of the explanation, the impact of these UFO’s on the world is undeniable. People are becoming more aware of the phenomenon and are starting to question what is really happening in our skies. Governments and militaries are also taking notice and taking steps to address the threat posed by these unknown objects.
Related:
Forget China’s spy balloon; military UFO incidents are far more intriguing
For one, the balloon’s lumbering pace allowed U.S. officials to protect against the collection of sensitive information. Moreover, according to a U.S. official, “we were able to study and scrutinize the balloon and its equipment, which has been valuable.” Military and intelligence agencies may also have fed the balloon false information, rendering any data it collected worthless.
How search for UFOs helped lead US government to Chinese spy balloons
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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