[shitlord]

Was there a more cost effective way to shoot down the balloon? Is there any actual competition in the missile industry?

I read the story about the F-18 shooting down a balloon with its gun, but it's also expensive to fly and maintain such a jet.

[jtsiskin]

…not shooting it down in the first place.

[shitlord]

If a balloon really is operated by someone attempting to spy on sensitive military installations, it makes financial sense to shoot it down. It's cheaper to spend 400k on a missile than to have your adversary learn something they shouldn't.