[cgb223]

This is the only picture of the balloon fully intact that exists

The reason we sent a U2 Spy plane of all things after it is because it’s about the only plane we have still in service that can fly all the way up to 60,000 ft where the balloon was at the time

[Animats]

> This is the only picture of the balloon fully intact that exists.

There are almost certainly much better pictures. This is just the pilot's selfie. The U-2 is built to take pictures. USAF: "The U-2 is capable of gathering a variety of imagery, including multi-spectral electro-optic, infrared, and synthetic aperture radar products which can be stored or sent to ground exploitation centers. In addition, it also supports high-resolution, broad-area synoptic coverage provided by the optical bar camera producing traditional film products which are developed and analyzed after landing. The U-2 also carries a signals intelligence payload."

[hotpotamus]

I doubt a U-2 camera could focus on another plane; I'd assume it's quite specialized for ground observation.

[travisjungroth]

It has a replaceable pod for a variety of equipment. They’ve been flying these for 67 years. I’d bet pretty strongly they were prepared.

[libertyhouse]

This looks like it was the two seat trainer version of the U-2 which doesn't carry mission equipment like the SYERS sensor or a data-link.

[travisjungroth]

I didn't know that. Shit, maybe they did just grab a Canon and go up there.

[patapong]

Would they really send a U-2 plane to pass by the balloon just to take a selfie?

[BuyMyBitcoins]

Just to take a selfie? The cynic in me thinks the DoD would totally value a photo-op enough to do this.

I’m not a jingoistic person but even I felt a tinge of awe and American pride when I saw the photo. The U2 is cool, and this photo depicts the US as in control of the situation in a way that we didn’t feel when this thing was in the news.

[Alupis]

> The reason we sent a U2 Spy plane of all things after it is because it’s about the only plane we have still in service that can fly all the way up to 60,000 ft where the balloon was at the time

Additionally, flying high requires flying fast, generally.

The U2's huge wingspan allows it to fly much slower at these altitudes, and with much more ease and efficiency than say, an F-15 or F-22 as some other commenters have suggested being capable of shadowing the balloon at FL600+.

[foofoo55]

The F-22 service ceiling is 60,000 ft so it can get up there too. The U2, however, flies relatively slow (< 400 kn) at that altitude so is ideal for an up-close inspection.

I would think that the U2 internal cameras were designed for a long focal length and for objects below the aircraft. I wonder if they made modifications for balloon photos.

[mulmen]

The U2 contains a far more advanced sensor suite than just cameras. With something like this balloon I suspect the signals intelligence is at least as interesting as any visual reconnaissance.

[ceejayoz]

> Although points for style shooting down a spy balloon with a spy plane

An F-22 was used for the shoot down.

[pantalaimon]

That used an air-to-air missile, it didn’t have to get to the same level for that

[coolspot]

Ironically, U-2 is itself a “weather plane”:

> When the U.S. government learned of Powers's disappearance over the Soviet Union, they lied that a "weather plane" had strayed off course after its pilot had "difficulties with his oxygen equipment". What CIA officials did not realize was that the plane crashed almost fully intact and that the Soviets had recovered its pilot and the plane's equipment, including its top-secret high-altitude camera.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_U-2

[sokoloff]

The F-15 can regularly climb over FL600 and, under special conditions, has exceeded 100K above MSL.

[jki275]

That was a specialty pre-production version of the F15 that was modified to do basically just altitude and speed records. It never entered operational service.

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/how-the-f-15-streak-eagle-br...

[Manuel_D]

In level flight or in a zoom climb? It's one thing to build up speed and pitch up in an ballistic arc, it's another thing to fly level at altitude.

[sokoloff]

The service ceiling is published as FL650. That’s defined as being able to sustain a 100fpm climb, so the absolute level flight ceiling is somewhat higher than that. Service ceiling figure is not in a zoom climb.

It would easily suffice to engage a balloon at FL600.

[zabzonk]

the venerable english electric lightning (RAF) intercepted a u2 at 66k feet during a nato exercise under full control. it also made it to 86K feet, but that was a zoom climb, and the pilot seems to have found the experience rather scary.

[CoolGuySteve]

It's an interesting plane to use when considering the USSR shot down a U-2 in 1960. This history even rhymes: the US initially claimed the U-2 was a weather device like China did with this balloon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_U-2_incident

If the Chinese say they can fly their balloons, can we fly our planes at the same altitude?

[jkaptur]

The Chinese shot down a number of U2s as well: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Cat_Squadron

You can see one of them at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, but it's in pretty rough shape (understandably).

[JPKab]

Fascinating.

The intel gathered from these likely helped send Nixon to China by revealing the Sino-Soviet tensions due to the military buildup at the border.

[ChatGTP]

That photo of the missiles coming for the pilots planes are incredible and terrifying.

You'd have to have some pretty good nerves for that job.

[walrus01]

The history of the U-2 is actually pretty wild, they flew out of Peshawar Pakistan with full cooperation of the Pakistani military for a long time.

Later on, the famous Chuck Yeager was the US military representative in Pakistan.

[mulmen]

The F-22 service ceiling is 65,000 feet.