The F-22's first air-to-air kill (and dispelling balloon myths)

Описание: On Saturday, an American F-22 Raptor shot down a Chinese surveillance balloon off the coast of South Carolina using an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile. In the days leading up to the intercept, the balloon had traversed the U.S. mainland and portions of Canada, leaving a flood of conspiracy theories in its wake.

Let's talk facts and dispel some of these myths and misconceptions.

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Further Reading
Full Write-Up: https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/chinese-...
Balloon coverage from Special Forces vet Steve Balestrieri: https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/china-in...
Balloon Coverage II: https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/china-is...
China, Taiwan, and US AirPower: https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/the-us-i...


Citations:
DoD statement on balloon from Feb 2: https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases...
Sec. of Defense Statement: https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases...
DoD statement on shooting balloon down: https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Sto...
F-22 service ceiling: https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Shee...
RC-135 Rivet Joint: https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Shee...
Assessing EMP threat: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1051...
CF-18s vs balloon: https://apnews.com/article/268893fddd...
US Balloon program: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone...
Balloon over Latin America: https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/06/asia/c...