UPDATE: CHINESE BALLOON NOW REPORTED IN TAIWAN
They’ve been around since the French used them in 1794, and in 2023, aChinese spy balloon appeared in Montana. Now, nearly a year later, Taiwan is reporting a Chinese balloon was spotted among warplanes and ships within their waters. In today’s world, the technology for all sorts of complex operations is available. We have enough nuclear weapons to erase mankind from existence, hypersonic weapons, self-driving vehicles of destruction, remote-controlled planes with bombs that shoot missiles filled with swords…the list goes on and on. But the more things change, the more things sort of stay the same. It’s 2024 and balloons are still at the forefront of espionage and warfare.Related Read: Jeju Island Exercises Respond to N. Korea’s Testing & Russian Assistance
Why Was There a Chinese Balloon Over Montana?
February 2023 began with tons of covert military espionage excitement. The Chinese balloon that entered Alaska and eventually, secretly, made its way to Montana is causing quite a stir among Americans. Many believe that if not for the chance sightings by citizens, the government would have never even told us it existed.There is no conspiracy here about its origin. China has already claimed it. But its purpose continues to fall under intense scrutiny. China says the balloon over U.S. was for weather research, but the U.S. government believes it could be spying on America.Which begs the question, what would it be spying on?The major concerns, and they are related, involve the possibility that China is gathering intelligence to send back to its satellite program. This information would be used to identify potential missile sites. This would help its own hypersonic missiles assumingly hit said targets.Tensions are high right now around the world, but with China and the U.S., this is concerning. Global nuclear powers at odds over geopolitical subterfuge is a less-than-ideal situation and so anything that conspires will always be under a microscope.But spy balloons have been around for a while and seemingly still have a role in modern warfare. Concerning as they are, the U.S. military does seem to believe they are a major threat, whatever threat there may be.With that being said, we now know that the Chinese spy balloon was able to gather intel from American military sites using an American Internet provider. Furthermore, this occurred despite efforts by the U.S. to stop such actions.The truth is, spy balloons are becoming a reemerging trend because technology is catching up to satellites. Between lasers and other attacks, satellites find themselves more vulnerable to countermeasures, whereas spy balloons are making a comeback.In addition to collecting data, part of this is a bit embarrassing for the United States, a notion that is surely not lost on China’s government. A war with China over Taiwan may be coming as the two sides have been on edge for quite some time as a result.This isn’t Montana’s first dealing with foreign balloons when you remember how Japan’s fire balloons took the Second World War to American soil. But that doesn’t mean Americans are satisfied with the findings.The Chinese balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina. Despite the information being taken, if this is all we have to deal with, rather than facing 99 red ones, we should be just fine.
The History of the Surveillance Balloon
Long before alleged weather instruments came floating across Big Sky Country, various militaries were using spy balloons. The French are credited with the first use of such tools for surveillance.Specifically, the French Aerostatic Corps used them during the Battle of Fleurus in the French Revolutionary Wars. But today, technology as we know it has evolved and these instruments can collect a wealth of information, data points, and metrics unlike anything before.Many other nations have used spy balloons including the British Army during the Second Boer War, and Brazil during the Paraguayan War. However, these efforts originated in the 19th century.We are well past that point now, but in today’s world, high-altitude balloons have the ability to reach the stratosphere and fly about with little or no detection. Furthermore, even if you do find one, as is the case with the Chinese balloon, taking them down can be a bit difficult.Suggested Read: Madison Marsh: The First Active-Duty USAF Officer to Win Miss America
Did Civil War Spies Use Hot Air Balloons?
Yes, spy balloons in the Civil War were in use on both sides. Although these were a far cry from the Chinese spy balloon in 2023, they did gain tactical advantages for opposing armies looking for the best positions.Both the Confederates and Union fighters used hot air balloons. While they weren’t in the stratosphere collecting data for missiles, the ground tethering tactic helped troops below make informed decisions about their maneuvers.
Area 51, New Mexico, and a Crash at Roswell
The Chinese spy balloon incident is the latest event involving weather balloons. However, it’s far from the first dust-up with balloons that America has been involved in. Well, depending on who you ask, at least. Because according to the U.S. military, the 1947 Roswell Incident was merely a failed weather instrument flight.But the speculation and reports around the event spiraled in many different directions. It also shaped much of what we think about when envisioning space aliens landing in modern-day America. Eyewitness accounts claimed that it was a UFO and that there were alien bodies.These discrepancies would fuel conspiracy theorists who are still adamant today that aliens crashed at Roswell. While we may never fully understand what happened, it’s impossible to completely rule out UFO involvement. It is, however, unlikely.
Chinese Balloon Incidents Continue In Taiwan
Nearly a year from a Chinese balloon floating over the U.S. making headlines, Taiwan is reporting similar situations. On January 22, 2024, Taiwan reported six Chinese balloons flew in or near its airspace. China also flew planes while maneuvering ships in the area.After all this time, we still don't know enough information about the use of balloons by China. On one hand, we understand that they are capable of linking to foreign Internet providers and extracting information. However, the full scope of their purpose remains a mystery, at least to the public.A Chinese balloon passed near Pingtung, with the others found north of the port of Keelung. It’s worth noting that these were in the proximity of a vital naval base for the island.China is known for such actions that go far beyond balloons. Illegal fishing practices, the building of islands, hostile maneuvers by military groups, and more are common examples throughout the Pacific. Sometimes, the lines blur even further, going as far as disguising military personnel as fisherman to maintain a presence.Intimidating the island within the 100-mile Taiwan Strait that divides the two factions continues as tensions rise. Taiwan was able to monitor the activity of the Chinese balloon and military ships and warplanes with its own defensive capabilities.Read Next: Army War College Childcare Investigated for Inappropriate Sexual Acts