[input_sh]

You don't screw up something this major, it doesn't happen by accident nor by incompetence.

They had plans to bomb something south of that airport, they had to postpone those plans now that the info is public enough that whatever their target was is definitely aware of those plans.

[tootie]

This is exactly what happened and not to be immodest but it was my first guess before it was confirmed. The closure was a miscommunication between the FAA and Pentagon set off by a balloon. This was pure incompetence and arrogance. This HN thread is almost unbelievable how many wild guesses were made.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/airspace-closure-followed-spat-...

[spaceywilly]

They have confirmed it was for testing a counter-drone weapon. They did not say why they set it to expire in 10 days, that part seems like it was probably a mistake.

[input_sh]

They gave you a plausible-enough reason and you took their word for it. That's completely fine, you are well within your rights to decide for yourself whether you believe them or not.

I don't, and since neither of us can know for sure given the info we've been given, it's useless for us to argue about our opinions.

[spaceywilly]

I am curious, what explanation would justify a full closure of the airspace over a major us city for 10 days, in your opinion? That is the real screwup here. Whatever justification they are giving is entirely beside the point. Closing the airspace, even to emergency medevac flights, is negligence.

[input_sh]

Miss me with your jUsT cUrIoUs, I have no need to make up hypothetical scenarios under which this would be justifiable. The burden of proof is not on me.

[GJim]

> You don't screw up something this major

Liz Truss begs to differ.