Spy balloons vs satellites: How do they compare for surveillance?
459In a technological age where satellites are available for intelligence gathering, why would China decide to use a balloon to allegedly spy on another country?
That is what many have been asking after a US F-22 fighter jet shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon off the east coast of the US.
A Pentagon defence official said the balloon was intended to monitor sensitive military sites as it travelled across the US over several days - although China insists it was a weather balloon that floated into US airspace accidentally.
Forces News has spoken to a former officer with the US defence intelligence agency for her assessment of what advantage there could be for using a balloon rather than a satellite to gather intelligence.
More: https://www.forces.net/technology/spy-balloons-vs-satellites-how-do-they-compare-surveillance
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