#Signals Intelligence

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

The Chinese spy balloon that flew across the U.S. was able to gather intelligence from several sensitive American military sites, despite the Biden administration’s efforts to block it from doing so, according to two current senior U.S. officials and one former senior administration official.

China was able to control the balloon so it could make multiple passes over some of the sites (at times flying figure-eight formations) and transmit the information it collected back to Beijing in real time, the three officials said. The intelligence China collected was mostly from electronic signals, which can be picked up from weapons systems or include communications from base personnel, rather than images, the officials said.

The three officials said China could have gathered much more intelligence from sensitive sites if not for the administration’s efforts to move around potential targets and obscure the balloon’s ability to pick up their electronic signals by stopping them from broadcasting or emitting signals.

The National Security Council referred NBC News to the Defense Department for comment. The Defense Department directed NBC News to comments senior officials made in February that the balloon had “limited additive value” for intelligence collection by the Chinese government “over and above what [China] is likely able to collect through things like satellites in low earth orbit.”

China has said repeatedly that the balloon was an unmanned civilian airship that accidentally strayed off course, and that the U.S. overreacted by shooting it down. Officials have not said which company, department or organization the balloon belonged to, despite several requests for comment by NBC News.

After the balloon was shot down in February, Biden administration officials said it was capable of collecting signals intelligence.

The balloon had a self-destruct mechanism that could have been activated remotely by China, but the officials said it’s not clear if that didn’t happen because the mechanism malfunctioned or because China decided not to trigger it.

The balloon entered U.S. airspace over Alaska on Jan. 28, according to the Biden administration, which said it was tracking it as it moved. Within the next four days, the balloon was flying over Montana — specifically Malmstrom Air Force Base, where the U.S. stores some of its nuclear assets.

On Feb. 2, NBC News was first to report that the Chinese spy balloon was flying over the U.S. and that President Joe Biden had considered shooting it down, prompting the administration to publicly confirm that and disclose it had been monitoring the balloon for days. Once the balloon’s existence became public, China increased its speed, officials said, in attempt to get it out of U.S. airspace as quickly as possible.

The U.S. shot down the balloon on Feb. 4 off the coast of South Carolina, and officials are still analyzing the debris that was retrieved.

At the time, the U.S. government said it waited to shoot the balloon down until it was over the ocean to avoid any damage or casualties on the ground. The balloon, which was nearly as large as three school buses, would have had a large debris field that U.S. officials could not control as it fell to the earth.

“U.S. military commanders had determined downing the balloon while over land posed an undue risk to people across a wide area due to the size and altitude of the balloon and its surveillance payload,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement after the balloon was downed.

Officials have tried to reconstruct the balloon from the recovered debris.

[joepageii]

History of the IRON HORSE system

History of the IRON HORSE system

In 1967 the United States SIGINT system (USSS) improved the speed of its support to air operations over Vietnam by a quantum leap. The older manual system, HAMMOCK, was replaced by IRON HORSE, a flashy new automated system which could deliver information in seconds rather than minutes. Designed by the National Security Agency, IRON HORSE simply linked the electronic output of an AG-22 intercept…

[midnightfunk]

I believe in giving the devil his due. In the matter of Ukraine, I tip my hat to Elon Musk.

I also say let’s start moving these to Taiwan.

[jovialbasementbouquetblr]

2023: Swedish Armed Forces' "Lessons from the War in Ukraine"

Translations from Swedish today. I saw this Swedish Defense Force unclassified report on lessons learned thus far from the War in Ukraine mentioned on Lars Wilderäng’s twitter feed @Cornubot and on his blog Cornucopia: Eternal Growth in a Finite World. Lars Wilderäng is a Swedish writer who according to his agency’s website, has a “great interest in politics and societal issues shines through in…

[orbitbrain]

Biden Signs Executive Order on US-EU Personal Data Privacy

Biden Signs Executive Order on US-EU Personal Data Privacy

Home › Privacy Biden Signs Executive Order on US-EU Personal Data Privacy By AFP on October 07, 2022 Tweet Executive order requires that US signals intelligence activities be conducted “only in pursuit of defined national security objectives” US President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday designed to protect the privacy of personal data transfers between the EU and the United States…

[alwaysbewoke]

one of the reasons (i said “one of” not “only”) young men are susceptible to this kind of foolishness is the reality that many women play games. we as men have to intreprent hints and deal with women who say “no” but mean “chase me.” who say “no” but mean “yeah.” ughh it can be ugly. the way to proceed as guys is to always (always) take “no” to mean “no.” doesn’t matter if she’s playing a game, wants to be chased, wants to see how determined you are or whatever. don’t risk your freedom. if she says “no” then it’s final answer and just move on.

[boom-fanfic-a-latta]

Thought: we shouldn't be calling all these "AI" things Artificial Intelligence.

Instead, I propose we use the term "Algorithmic Generators", or "AG" for short, for these types of things.

Because that better explains what they actually are, and also doesn't incorrectly peg them as "intelligent" or cause confusion about what AI actually mean anymore.

[troythecatfish]

[txttletale]

‘stupid is a slur’ is an unproductive line to take because people will hear that and simply tack it onto the List Of Words That Are Bad To Say and then find ‘unproblematic’ ways of expressing their continued belief that ‘lack of intelligence’ is both a real quantifiable trait and a moral failure. if someone is talking about ‘intelligence’ or ‘stupidity’ in an ableist way (tbc, there is not really a non-ableist way) then you need to confront them about the underlying worldview of what they’re saying. you need to say ‘what do you think it means for someone to be stupid? why do you think it’s a bad thing?’ and be willing to have that conversation or you’re just kicking the can down the road and wasting everyone’s time

[ej-cappy-universe]

For anyone using Google Docs, move all your stuff off of it cause it'll be used for AI Training. Read the twitter thread for more info please.

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

At this suggestion, June and Wilhelm were a touch surprised, but nevertheless exchanged a little smile: While they wouldn't have said no to Randall and Emily moving in together back at Emily's house (figuring the two of them would want to spread their wings elsewhere, and would come back regularly for visits), there was something wonderful about the idea of them all staying together. Their house, small and humble though it was, was a home, and it did them good to hear that Emily felt just the same.

(And it put a little less worry on the Pace parents' minds, knowing they wouldn't have to worry about Emily making it home safe and sound before the sun rose...)

"Well, I think that's a fine idea," June agreed, her husband and son nodding along-Randall in particular taking Emily's hand to squeeze as Wilhelm said, "We're more than okay with it, lass! Our home is your home, and we're more than happy to have you here with us."

Randall was only half-listening to his parents comments (as they resumed enthusing about the wedding and what little preparations they had left), too distracted by gazing lovingly at his bride-to-be. Although he knew it wouldn't exactly be the case (as they'd likely all still sleep in their beds, just as they had before), a part of him couldn't but imagine life (or something like it) as vampires, all four members of the Pace family as little bats, all huddled together on the ceiling, like bats all gathered in the craggy confines of a cave...

[jbfly46]

I bleed revolution. If your only anarchist actions are related to union organizing, then you’re not an anarchist, you’re a corporate puppet. Everything you do should work to subvert the current and future actions of the state and all of their tentacle corporate affiliations. If your only goal in life is to work under the orders of someone else, under someone’s else’s direction, with someone else’s instructions, then you’re not a human being. You’re chattel cattle at best. If a corporate pig tells or wants you to do something, then you should do the exact opposite, or else you’re just a pawn in a game of global corporate chess. Every one of your actions should be both a defensive and offensive maneuver. If you defend while you attack, you become one with your true purpose, which is to dismantle the state and all corporate authority. If you don’t think in a linear manner, then you’re not apart of their datasets, and they can’t predict your next move. You operate from outside of their datasets and what they think is your next move is never your next move. Then they start to doubt their own intelligence and all the false assumptions it’s based on, and the system starts to crumble. You use any means necessary, because that is your constitutional right, just as they use any means necessary to hold onto the power they stole from you. They stole your birthright, and it’s your legal duty as an American citizen to seek a redress of your grievances, using whatever it takes. Under no pretext.

[theapostlejodifoster]

Calling all artists!

I'm conducting a survey for my research paper on the effects of AI artwork on artists. If you have some thoughts and opinions on AI art I would like to hear them. Please respond to this Google Form if you have the time. I need as many respondents as I can get. Reblogs are greatly appreciated!

[mantisgodsdomain]

As we finish drawing up our final Febuwhump prompts and putting the finishing touched on our initial drafts list, we are struck with the distinct impulse to convert ZB-162 to HBG formatting. This is a curse & a dastardly trick. This character. Is a fungus.

[spiritofwhitefire]

maybe you should stop using misogynistic words and learn how to spell Netanyahu before giving your unsolicited opinion. No one sent you hate. You however are wishing a trans poc dies.

Oh go fuck yourself