But what Intel can you gather from the sky that you can't gather from orbit?China has spy satellites. Do you really think they are getting any real intelligence from a balloon we know is there vs satellite imagery?
Is it possible this is symbolism, grist for domestic propaganda, intentional bait, or some combination of all 3? They had to know we'd notice it. They are long game thinkers. I don't think you have to be tinfoil hat, but there's got to be some intent other than simply intel gathering, which they can do better and less in your face.
Signals Intelligence. SIGINT capability is why we didn't retire the U-2 fleet in FY08. 9th Reconnaissance Wing had a Detachment of U-2s at Osan Air Base, ROK. Man they were loud! Nothing worse than having a U-2 wake you up at 0600 on a Saturday with a hangover. Maybe ROKAF F-4s launching early on Saturday morning. Break-break, back from the threadjack. The RQ-4 Global Hawk couldn't do the SIGINT mission at that point... U-2 fleet didn't retire in FY08.
U-2 Dragon Ladies were under Air Combat Command, assigned to the 9th Reconnisonce Wing at Beale AFB, Ca. The FY08 POM (Program Objective Memorandum) came down in early 2006 when I was in Manpower Programs at HQ ACC. The U-2 fleet was programmed to be retired in FY08, but it wasn't because of the SIGINT capabilities. To borrow a Chris Berman line... I remember, because I was there.
Also, Electronics Intelligence (ELINT.) Satellites don't work for that, need air-breathers (or in this case, air floaters) for this mission. How stealthy is stealth? You need ELINT to know that. Can you fly the $2 billion aircraft through there between those Radar stations and not get noticed? ELINT lets you know.
Finally, who in the AF (and I don't mean Air Force) is in this country? Who came across the southern border? The southern border is... well to say it leaks like a sieve is insulting... to sieves. Who is checking in with this thing as it flies over? Not sure if that's Human Intelligence (HUMINT) but satellites can't do that **** either.
All of this reminds me, my bud from USCENTAF Forward at Al Udeid, Qatar back in 2005 is now a muckety-muck civvie in Space Force at what was the Air Force Space Command. I need to text him and ask why they didn't beam the Chi-Com balloon the hell to Area 51 or somewhere