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0 pointsexabrial3y ago0 comments

"Not sure what the object was"

"Shot Down using an Aim9x"

That actually narrows it down a bit. Heat seeking warhead.

0 comments

I just learned (yesterday[2]) about the rolleron[1], a stabilizing mechanism that prevents roll. It uses the airstream to spin up a gyroscopic mass.

The AIM9 is the only use I'm aware of.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolleron

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfzj3rRIVU4

post_break3y ago

His long hair dangling by that spinning disc while he demos it... ugh.

snerbles3y ago

Unlike previous Sidewinder iterations with a single-sensor thermal seeker, the AIM-9X has a thermal imaging seeker - it was used to shoot down the much larger balloon last week.

https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/AIM-9X-Sidewinder

jollyllama3y ago

So it doesn't really narrow it down that much, then. Could be a plane, could be a balloon.

jnurmine3y ago

If it was not a drone, and "not a balloon", what could it be?

Assuming this was a drone, the "car-sized", "unmanned", "not a balloon", "not maneuverable" (!?), the operating altitude (40k feet / 13 km), and use of AIM9X (IR/heat seeking) should narrow down the possible drones.

Also, one thing I pondered: why F22 instead of F35 to shoot it down? Maybe a question of availability. But, at least publically the F35 operating ceiling is lower than F22, so I was thinking whether the object was in reality higher than the publically known F35 operating ceiling.

2 more replies

themodelplumber3y ago

Could also be a flying promotional bearskin bladder from a local hunting lodge.

Which I have to say is where we may start to see a tragic lack of creativity unfolding on China's part.

exabrialOP3y ago

Dang, you're correct. It still had a thermal signature, but it wasn't as definitive as what I thought.

pmccarren3y ago

> Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, told reporters Friday that an F-22 fighter aircraft based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson shot down the object using the same type of missile used to take down the balloon nearly a week ago.[0]

[0] https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-shoots-down-unknown-flyi...

themodelplumber3y ago

It's considered a "system-guided" missile, not heat-seeking. It's much more advanced than the original heat-seeking concept and integrates additional optical technology in the fuse.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

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mikewarot3y ago

I just learned (yesterday[2]) about the rolleron[1], a stabilizing mechanism that prevents roll. It uses the airstream to spin up a gyroscopic mass.

The AIM9 is the only use I'm aware of.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolleron

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfzj3rRIVU4

post_break3y ago

His long hair dangling by that spinning disc while he demos it... ugh.

snerbles3y ago

Unlike previous Sidewinder iterations with a single-sensor thermal seeker, the AIM-9X has a thermal imaging seeker - it was used to shoot down the much larger balloon last week.

https://www.navair.navy.mil/product/AIM-9X-Sidewinder

jollyllama3y ago

So it doesn't really narrow it down that much, then. Could be a plane, could be a balloon.

jnurmine3y ago

If it was not a drone, and "not a balloon", what could it be?

2 more replies

themodelplumber3y ago

Could also be a flying promotional bearskin bladder from a local hunting lodge.

Which I have to say is where we may start to see a tragic lack of creativity unfolding on China's part.

exabrialOP3y ago

Dang, you're correct. It still had a thermal signature, but it wasn't as definitive as what I thought.

pmccarren3y ago

[0] https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-shoots-down-unknown-flyi...

themodelplumber3y ago

It's considered a "system-guided" missile, not heat-seeking. It's much more advanced than the original heat-seeking concept and integrates additional optical technology in the fuse.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse