F-22 Raptor Brings Down China's Spy Balloon

Four Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fifth generation fighters were scrambled at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia Saturday.They were needed to bring down the Chinese military balloon that attempted to gather intelligence over US territory in a blatant violation of US sovereignty and international law.The balloon was loaded with tons of surveillance equipment directed at sensitive military bases with an apparent emphasis on strategic systems such as the Minuteman III ICBM and B-2 Spirit bombers.* The Raptors arrived on scene off the South Carolina coast and loitered while they awaited the balloon's arrival.The balloon had first violated Canada's sovereignty before heading south into Montana and surveilling Malmstrom Air Force Base and its missile fields.It had traveled from China to the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands of Alaska before violating Canadian air space,all the while tracked by NORAD.Eventually it wandered east over to Whiteman Air Force Base,Missouri,home of the B-2 Spirit strategic bomber.NORTHCOM,out of Peterson Air Force Base,Colorado,provides protection for the US mainland and took charge of the hostile incident.Two air refueling tankers flew a pattern off South Carolina,standing by to refuel aircraft as needed.* On Wednesday,US President Joseph R. Biden ordered the Pentagon to shoot down the balloon in the safest way as soon as possible.The Pentagon chose the sea option.* Climbing to an altitude of 58,000 ft.,one of the F-22s fired a Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder heat-seeking missile at the balloon at short range.It punctured the balloon with a thud,rendering it limp as it plunged for about five minutes to the coastal waters below within the 12-mile territorial zone of the United States.Whatever lands within the zone is legally under US Government control.The balloon ended up at a depth of merely 47 feet,easily retrievable by even novice divers.The US Navy and Coast Guard secured the scene by establishing a perimeter.A salvage vessel made its way to the wreckage of the ill-fated Chinese contraption.Electronic warfare measures had been applied to its technology by US Forces as it was blown along,ensuring that it couldn't achieve its unlawful mission unhindered.The debris field had been ascertained by NORTHCOM and NASA in advance.* Analysis:So China ended up with its surveillance technology in the hands of the US Intelligence Community,embarrassed by this bizarre mission of the People's Liberation Army.For its part,Canada expressed its appreciation for the US downing of the balloon.* Lockheed Martin (LMT),Raytheon Technologies (RTX)

Air Force Security Forces Flunk Nuke Test-corrective action taken

It has recently come to light that last August,US Air Force Security Forces at Malmstrom Air Force Base,Montana,flunked a test of their ability to quickly regain control of a missile silo captured by the enemy.This fault resulted in the base flunking its entire safety and security inspection.According to an internal review obtained by the Associated Press,the forces failed to take all lawful actions to immediately regain control of nuclear weapons.
At the time,the Air Force said tactical level errors were committed in one phase of the inspection,without elaborating.The unit received a rating of "unsatisfactory." The review cited insufficient training resulting in a lack of familiarity with complex scenario exercises;unspecified shortcomings in leadership culture;and a lack of standardized simulations throughout the nuclear missile forces.The failure reportedly involved missing the mark by a matter of seconds.
Lieutenant General Jim Kowalski,who was at the time Commander,Global Strike Command,which oversees the nuclear missile and strategic bomber forces,denied that the incident means the safety of the nuclear missile arsenal is at risk,since the inspections are designed to be tough.The unit fumbled in this exercise.
The unit was tested again a few months later and passed.Nearly all the corrective actions proposed by the review have been accomplished,according to GSC.*
Malmstrom AFB is one of three Minuteman III bases,each housing 150 of the ICBMs.The other two bases are in North Dakota and Wyoming.Malmstrom defines its mission as being to defend America with safe,secure and effective nuclear forces and combat ready Airmen.The 341st Security Forces Group,including the Tactical Response Force,are critical to this effort.
In the Nuclear Advanced Designated Marksman program,members of the TRF are trained at Camp Guernsey,Wyoming for six weeks.They become adept at observing enemy forces unseen and engaging them when appropriate.They are trained in weapons accuracy,camouflage and the ability to sustain themselves in the field.
A few times a month,the TRF trains with the base's Huey UH-1N helicopters.They practice infiltration and exfiltration in order to achieve instant response capability anywhere on the base,to reassert control of captured convoys and launch sites.
The 341st Security Forces Group generally is entrusted with securing roads to and from launch sites on which nuclear weapons are transported;weapons storage facilities;launch control centers;and controlling access to Malmstrom AFB.*
LT GEN Kowalski is now Deputy Commander,US Strategic Command,of which Global Strike Command is a part.