FAA declares 'National Defense Airspace' over Lake Michigan

I have a question about these "No-Fly-Zones". When they are placed due to national emergencies does that affect ground or water travel through the area as well, or does it just restrict the air only?

a reply to: Guyfriday

The FAA can only issue them for aircraft, but they can be issued in conjunction with a Notice to Mariners through the Coast Guard to clear watercraft from the area.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Guyfriday

The FAA can only issue them for aircraft, but they can be issued in conjunction with a Notice to Mariners through the Coast Guard to clear watercraft from the area.

As a military expert, in your own terms, what the hell is going on with all of this?

a reply to: Zaphod58

Thanks, I wasn't sure about how the temporary "No-Fly-Zones" worked or who puts out the request.

I think you can see where I'm heading with this question though. During this balloon event, something could have been smuggled in or out of the country without anyone being the wiser about it.

During the "Balloon Boy HOAX" in '09, was any restriction applied to that balloons path, or did it matter much due to the low altitude (I can't remember)?

a reply to: litterbaux

We’re being used for technology demonstrations. Someone is testing different shapes, possibly different materials, and possibly sensor packages. They’re running them at different altitudes to see how they do against radar and probably IRST. They also get a feel for how they do against IR missiles.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: litterbaux

We’re being used for technology demonstrations. Someone is testing different shapes, possibly different materials, and possibly sensor packages. They’re running them at different altitudes to see how they do against radar and probably IRST. They also get a feel for how they do against IR missiles.

It's very interesting to me that the altitudes published were 60, 40 and 20 thousand feet so I agree there, it's a test.

The one thing I'd like to pick your brain about is IR missiles. Infrared homing is a passive weapon guidance system which uses the infrared (IR) light emission from a target to track and follow it seamlessly, a balloon does not emit light, it may reflect light but it does not emit light.

Thoughts?

a reply to: litterbaux

An IR seeker is tracking infrared, which is emitted stronger by hotter bodies. That’s why they’re frequently called heat seekers. A balloon isn’t going to have a large infrared signature, but get close enough and the seeker will be able to see it.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: litterbaux

We’re being used for technology demonstrations. Someone is testing different shapes, possibly different materials, and possibly sensor packages. They’re running them at different altitudes to see how they do against radar and probably IRST. They also get a feel for how they do against IR missiles.

Pretty ballsy to do it in the open like that.....

Makes me wonder what comes next

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: litterbaux

An IR seeker is tracking infrared, which is emitted stronger by hotter bodies. That’s why they’re frequently called heat seekers. A balloon isn’t going to have a large infrared signature, but get close enough and the seeker will be able to see it.

I still don't understand, sorry. How would a balloon trigger a heat seeking missile?

a reply to: litterbaux

Reflected heat. At 40,000 feet the background temperature is something like -63 degrees. Any man made object is not going to be perfectly cooled to match that temperature. The hotter the object, the more infrared is reflected from it, and the better the missile sensor can see it. A balloon isn’t going to reflect a lot of infrared, but it will be enough for the seeker to see once it’s close enough.

For the price of a few Balloons China or whoever has just gathered a hell of a lot of intelligence on Norad and the US defence response times and other stuff.