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By (https://www.twz.com/authors/howard-altman) Howard Altman      Published  Oct 19, 2026 3:49 PM EDT     (armys-plan-to-launch-hundreds-of-balloons-into-enemy-territory-if-a-future-conflict-breaks-out.html#comments)    0           (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=twz.com) Add TWZ (opens Google in a new window or tab)      More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results.        (An Army general envisions hundreds of high-altitude balloons being launched in a future conflict in Europe.)   (U.S. Army photo by Master Sgt. Ray Boyington)    The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.   (handle_newsletter_email_submission) (d88dacfd8e) (TWZInline) (0) Email address  (Enter your email) (Please enter a valid email address)  Sign Up  Thank you!      (https://recurrent.io/terms-and-conditions/) Terms of Service and(https://recurrent.io/privacy-policy/) Privacy Policy        As he prepares for a potential future conflict on the continent, the commanding general of (https://www.mdce.army.mil/) Multi-Domain Command Europe told TWZ that he envisions dispersing hundreds of high-altitude balloons at a time. The balloons, Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter explained, would be used for a wide range of purposes, from serving as communications platforms to launching weapons. (https://www.twz.com/china-sees-balloon-launched-drone-swarms-in-its-future) For years now , TWZ has been closely tracking the expanding use of high-altitude balloons and (https://www.twz.com/41462/gigantic-hangar-near-secretive-chinese-test-facilities-points-to-exotic-airship-development) other lighter-than-air systems globally for (https://www.twz.com/was-a-high-altitude-airship-spotted-recently-near-the-south-china-sea) intelligence gathering , networking, (https://www.twz.com/news-features/aerostar-high-altitude-balloons-being-turned-into-drone-motherships) as platforms for launching drones , and in (https://www.twz.com/air/high-altitude-balloons-are-a-game-changing-capability-army-space-command-boss) support of other missions . Basically, in the European scenario, hundreds or possibly thousands of balloons would be sent east. They would provide attritable real-time reconnaissance, strike, and decoy capabilities, while also acting as a force multiplier for other assets by providing a resilient active network over the battlefield — one that could help fill in the gaps if the space-based layer gets degraded. “We would like to proliferate the stratosphere with high-altitude balloons, but I mean 200, 300 at a time,” Carpenter told us during last week’s (https://meetings.ausa.org/annual/2026/index.cfm) Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) conference in Washington, D.C., which TWZ attended. The Army would utilize high-altitude balloons “not only as decoys, a lot of decoys, but also communications retrans[mission platforms], electronic sensing, as well as electronic attack, and then obviously air-launched effects to be able to drop them down and use kinetic means as well.” (The head of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) was initially skeptical about the utility of high-altitude balloons, but now sees them as a "game-changing" capability.)  A sensor-laden high-altitude balloon from Aerostar seen lifting off from Won Pat International Airport on Guam during an exercise in 2024. US Army  Air-launched effects (ALEs) is a collective term the U.S. military now commonly uses to (https://www.twz.com/35726/the-army-has-unveiled-its-plan-for-swarms-of-electronic-warfare-enabled-air-launched-drones) discuss air-launched drones configured for a wide array of missions. The ALE umbrella encompasses designs that can be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic warfare tasks, or signal relay, and can act as decoys. It also includes loitering munitions often referred to as kamikaze drones, capable of carrying kinetic attacks. (U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the Extended Range Sensing and Effects Company, 3d Multi-Domain Effects Battalion, 3d Multi-Domain Task Force, and industry partners attach an Icarus Apollo R stratospheric fixed wing aircraft to an Urban Sky high-altitude balloon during a multi-day Special User Demonstration at Orote Airfield on Naval Station Guam, June 24, 2026, for Valiant Shield 26. The joint team conducted the pre-launch configuration to test stratospheric sensor capabilities and joint extended communication networks, directly advancing our capacity to develop and validate Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control concepts forward in the theater. This staging operation was conducted in support of Valiant Shield 2026. Exercises like Valiant Shield allow Pacific Command Joint Forces the opportunity to integrate forces from all branches of service and with our allies to conduct precise, lethal, and overwhelming multi-axis, multi-domain effects that demonstrate the strength and versatility of the joint force and our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ondirae Hamil Abdullah-Robinson))  U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the Extended Range Sensing and Effects Company, 3d Multi-Domain Effects Battalion, 3d Multi-Domain Task Force, and industry partners attach an Icarus Apollo R stratospheric fixed wing aircraft to an Urban Sky high-altitude balloon during a multi-day Special User Demonstration at Orote Airfield on Naval Station Guam, June 24, 2026, for Valiant Shield 26. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Ondirae Hamil Abdullah-Robinson) Sgt. 1st Class Ondirae Abdullah-Robinson  In general, modern high-altitude balloons offer persistent deployment that can last for days, weeks or even months at a time. After navigating to an assigned operating area, some modern balloon systems can hold their position, in spite of prevailing winds, by modulating their altitudes to keep on station. In addition, high-altitude balloons operate at heights providing excellent fields of view for radars, cameras, and other sensors in all directions and across very broad areas. From a perch of 60,000 feet or more, they also offer a way to peer into certain denied areas while still soaring in international airspace and keeping farther away from potential threats. During a conflict, the balloons could be deployed deep into enemy airspace as they are attritable. Though some balloon systems can hold their general positions in many circumstances, Carpenter told us that seasonal weather changes will still play a role in deployment. “The flight paths are different. We study that,” he noted. “We understand during what seasons where the best places are to launch those high-altitude systems, and then again to hold enemy cities and capabilities at risk at any time, so that we can defeat them at the time and place of our choosing.” We asked Carpenter for more details about how he sees balloons being used by troops in Europe. “I think everybody knows there’ll be a point where satellite communications are going to be degraded, if not eliminated,” he stated. “One of the things that we’re focusing on is in the stratosphere, so above 60,000 feet up to 80,000 feet, which is next to impossible to target unless you’re using one of your exquisite systems, fifth-gen fighters, SA-21 Bravo [(https://www.twz.com/category/s-400) S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system ], etc. to shoot that stuff down.” Many of the balloons would be equipped with Link 16, a NATO-standard tactical datalink communication system central to U.S. and allied military operations, the general said. Link 16 allows coalition forces to seamlessly transmit and exchange real-time situational awareness data. You can read more about how Link 16 works, and its increasing dependence of space, in our story (https://www.twz.com/air/link-16-coverage-from-space-laser-communications-relays-make-major-advances) here . ()  A graphic the Army previously released showing a notional “operational view” for how its planned the Multi-Domain Sensing System (MDSS) system of systems, including crewed ISR aircraft, might be employed in conjunction with other assets. (U.S. Army)   As for using balloons as ALE delivery platforms, Carpenter told us there are “different technologies, different altitudes that we’d have to deliver those from” at “different ranges, different levels of yield or lethality. But for us, it’s really just a single arrow in a quiver full of arrows, utilizing space capabilities, cyber capabilities, or surface-to-surface capabilities. In this case, you’re talking just another air-to-surface capability with your air-launched effects off balloons.” Carpenter said that when it comes to balloon-launched ALEs, he is looking at “everything from shorter range, lower yield, maybe targeting an adversary ballistic missile radar, to longer range, higher yield capabilities that you might use to maybe take out a ballistic missile system.” In such cases, the balloons would carry drones deep into enemy territory, where they would be launched opportunistically to strike the targets Carpenter suggested. The size of the target, and how well it is protected, would determine what kinds of drones the balloons would launch, as well as their proximity to the target. ()  Russian air defense systems like these S-400 launchers could be targeted by balloon-launched weapons, an Army general told us. (Sergei Malgavko / TASS)   Should a fight break out in Europe tonight, Carpenter said he is confident he can rely on the technology. “Our operating concept is proven,” he stated, noting that “we’ve already tested those capabilities against most modern adversary systems that exist. We’ve already validated our operating concept in terms of getting to mass and scale that we would need in large-scale conflict.” (https://www.twz.com/air/high-altitude-balloons-are-a-game-changing-capability-army-space-command-boss) As we have previously reported , while high-altitude balloons have been used for decades, the modern concept of these systems was recently employed operationally by the U.S. in a combat theater. The Army had planned to demonstrate the ability of balloons to operate in swarms with a high degree of autonomy in the Pacific region last year before those assets were redirected to the Middle East. When exactly that deployment occurred and how long it lasted are unclear. “We were asked to pivot and do some experimentation in combination with operations, and we pivoted and supported operations in CENTCOM [U.S. Central Command],” Andrew Evans, Director of Strategy and Transformation with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, or G-2, (https://breakingdefense.com/2026/10/army-sent-balloon-swarms-to-middle-east-to-support-centcom-operations/) told Breaking Defense  , according to a story the outlet published last week. “They were effective for the mission that they were assigned,” he added. However, Evans was not able to disclose the exact location and operational scenarios in which they were used. Other countries, (https://www.twz.com/air/polands-plan-to-deploy-early-warning-radar-blimps-moves-forward) including U.S. allies and partners, are increasingly fielding balloon-based and other (https://www.twz.com/air/bus-sized-uncrewed-airship-being-tested-by-nato-as-maritime-surveillance-platform) lighter-than-air systems , too. Ukrainian forces notably have been using balloons to (https://www.twz.com/news-features/ukraines-explosive-laden-balloon-operations-against-russia) conduct kinetic attacks and (https://defence-blog.com/ukraine-tests-hornet-strike-drone-launched-from-aerostat/) launch drones against Russian assets. On the other side of that conflict, the Russians have used balloons as (https://www.twz.com/balloons-shot-down-over-kyiv-point-to-new-russian-tactics) decoys to confuse and misdirect air defenses . The following video shows Ukrainian forces using balloons to launch kamikaze drones .  American-made Hornet middle-range strike UAV being tested with balloon-assisted launch system.Such resolution allows to drastically increase its original range (approx. 100km).Hornet OWA-UAVs are actively employed by Ukrainian forces for strikes on Russian logistics and other… (https://t.co/S1bHqLNhPY) pic.twitter.com/S1bHqLNhPY  — Status-6 (@Archer83Able) (https://x.com/Archer83Able/status/2057114993267450323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) May 20, 2026    To achieve the effects he laid out, Carpenter told us that he will still need to surge capacity to Europe. “The Army will make decisions on which vendors they’re going to go with,” he pointed out. “But the ability to field that at scale is just simply based on the resources provided. I’m talking about money to go ahead and bring them into theater.” Pushed to provide details of how quickly he could have the desired number of balloons, Carpenter told us that “if the United States or NATO and its allies were on a wartime footing, it would be extremely rapid, but we would need to get them into theater before crisis turned to conflict. So we’d have to keep a close eye from an IC [intelligence community] perspective on indicators and warnings to make sure we have the right systems on the ground at point of need.” (U.S. Army Soldiers from Multi-Domain Command–Europe deploy High Altitude Balloons at Tahachapi Airfield, April 22, 2026. The High Altitude Balloon is used to gather intelligence, surveil and perform reconnaissance. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Rajheem Dixon, Multi-Domain Command–Europe))  U.S. Army soldiers from Multi-Domain Command–Europe deploy high-altitude balloons at Tehachapi Airfield, April 22, 2026. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Rajheem Dixon, Multi-Domain Command–Europe) Staff Sgt. Rajheem Dixon  The Army’s overall vision for balloons is not new; the service has been openly discussing it (https://www.twz.com/37868/the-army-wants-to-launch-drone-swarms-behind-enemy-lines-from-high-altitude-balloons) for at least six years now . However, the use of high-altitude balloons in this context is now being operationalized. Meanwhile, China has very actively shown off its ability to gather intelligence and (https://www.twz.com/sudden-spike-in-chinese-balloons-over-taiwan-a-serious-threat) conduct other missions using balloons and other (https://www.twz.com/was-a-high-altitude-airship-spotted-recently-near-the-south-china-sea) lighter-than-air craft on a broad operational level across the Pacific. TWZ had been (https://www.twz.com/41462/gigantic-hangar-near-secretive-chinese-test-facilities-points-to-exotic-airship-development) reporting on this reality for years before it was (https://www.twz.com/chinas-spy-balloon-over-montana-is-part-of-a-larger-more-troubling-pattern) thrust fully into the public consciousness after a (https://www.twz.com/our-best-look-yet-at-the-chinese-spy-balloons-massive-payload) Chinese spy balloon passed over parts of the United States and Canada back in 2023. The concept Carpenter laid out for how balloons will be used in a future European conflict is another example of the renaissance in lighter-than-air military technology and how the Pentagon is increasingly seeking to weaponize it on a grand scale. Contact the author: howard@twz.com  (https://www.twz.com/authors/howard-altman) (Howard Altman Avatar)   (https://www.twz.com/authors/howard-altman) Howard Altman   Senior Staff Writer    Howard is a Senior Staff Writer for  TWZ  . He writes frequently about conflict, focusing heavily on the Middle East and Ukraine, and interviews with military and intelligence officials and industry leaders from around the globe. He lives near Tampa, Florida, home of U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command.   (https://twitter.com/haltman)     (https://www.linkedin.com/in/howardaltman/)           (https://www.twz.com/category/armies) Armies      (https://www.twz.com/category/land) Land      (https://www.twz.com/category/us-army) U.S. Army         Loading comments…  Comments couldn’t be loaded. Please refresh the page.         Latest in Airborne Sensors (https://www.twz.com/air/high-altitude-balloons-are-a-game-changing-capability-army-space-command-boss) (The head of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) was initially skeptical about the utility of high-altitude balloons, but now sees them as a "game-changing" capability.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/airborne-sensors) Airborne Sensors   (https://www.twz.com/air/high-altitude-balloons-are-a-game-changing-capability-army-space-command-boss) High Altitude Balloons Are A “Game-Changing” Capability: Army Space Command Boss   The Army recently disclosed it rushed high-altitude balloons to support operations in the Middle East. By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick        1:49 PM  October 14, 2026      (https://www.twz.com/air/nato-picks-saab-globaleye-to-replace-aging-e-3-awacs-fleet) (The next NATO airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform will be Saab’s GlobalEye, as announced today during the alliance’s summit in Ankara, Turkey. The decision to buy up to 10 GlobalEyes for NATO comes after Sweden, France, and Canada all selected the platform, and amid a flurry of new orders for military equipment as part of a wider alliance defense spending drive.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/airborne-radar) Airborne Radar   (https://www.twz.com/air/nato-picks-saab-globaleye-to-replace-aging-e-3-awacs-fleet) NATO Picks Saab GlobalEye To Replace Aging E-3 AWACS Fleet   The GlobalEye acquisition comes alongside a raft of NATO capability announcements spanning drones, maritime patrol aircraft, tankers, and airlifters. By (https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick) Thomas Newdick        12:23 PM  July 7, 2026        ()    The TWZ Newsletter  Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.   (https://twz.beehiiv.com/) Sign Up  By signing up you agree to our(https://recurrent.io/terms-and-conditions/) Terms of Service and(https://recurrent.io/privacy-policy/) Privacy Policy.           More   (https://www.twz.com/air/high-altitude-balloons-are-a-game-changing-capability-army-space-command-boss) (The head of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) was initially skeptical about the utility of high-altitude balloons, but now sees them as a "game-changing" capability.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/airborne-sensors) Airborne Sensors   (https://www.twz.com/air/high-altitude-balloons-are-a-game-changing-capability-army-space-command-boss) High Altitude Balloons Are A “Game-Changing” Capability: Army Space Command Boss   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick           (https://www.twz.com/ac-130j-ghostrider-could-get-huge-capability-leap-from-aesa-radar) (AC-130 Gunship AESA)     (https://www.twz.com/category/ac-130) AC-130   (https://www.twz.com/ac-130j-ghostrider-could-get-huge-capability-leap-from-aesa-radar) AC-130J Ghostrider Could Get Huge Upgrade From AESA Radar   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick ,  (https://www.twz.com/authors/tyler-rogoway) Tyler Rogoway           (https://www.twz.com/russia-also-has-a-fleet-of-spy-balloons) (AN-S1 medium-altitude balloon)     (https://www.twz.com/category/cold-war) Cold War   (https://www.twz.com/russia-also-has-a-fleet-of-spy-balloons) Russia Also Has A Fleet Of Spy Balloons   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/piotr-butowski) Piotr Butowski           (https://www.twz.com/f-35-will-get-new-radar-under-massive-upgrade-initiative) (F-35 New Radar)     (https://www.twz.com/category/f-35) F-35   (https://www.twz.com/f-35-will-get-new-radar-under-massive-upgrade-initiative) F-35 Will Get New Radar Under Massive Upgrade Initiative (Updated)   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/emma-helfrich) Emma Helfrich           (https://www.twz.com/north-korea-may-be-building-an-early-warning-radar-plane) (AEW&C aircraft in North Korea.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/north-korea) North Korea   (https://www.twz.com/north-korea-may-be-building-an-early-warning-radar-plane) North Korea May Be Building An Early-Warning Radar Plane   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick) Thomas Newdick           (https://www.twz.com/keeping-the-e-2d-advanced-hawkeye-on-top-into-the-2040s) (E-2D Advanced Hawkeye St. Augustine)     (https://www.twz.com/category/e-2) E-2   (https://www.twz.com/keeping-the-e-2d-advanced-hawkeye-on-top-into-the-2040s) Keeping The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye On Top Into the 2040s   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/howard-altman) Howard Altman           (https://www.twz.com/40149/navy-p-8a-maritime-patrol-planes-to-get-pods-loaded-with-radar-jamming-little-buddies) (Navy P-8A Maritime Patrol Planes To Get Pods Loaded With Radar Jamming ‘Little Buddies’)     (https://www.twz.com/category/us-navy) U.S. Navy   (https://www.twz.com/40149/navy-p-8a-maritime-patrol-planes-to-get-pods-loaded-with-radar-jamming-little-buddies) Navy P-8A Maritime Patrol Planes To Get Pods Loaded With Radar Jamming ‘Little Buddies’   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick           (https://www.twz.com/air/kc-135-tankers-set-to-get-drone-launchers) (Retire Air Force Gen. Mike Minihan talked to use about the strain Middle East deployments are adding to the aging fleet of cargo jets and refueling tankers and offered his insights into a host of other topics.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/kc-135) KC-135   (https://www.twz.com/air/kc-135-tankers-set-to-get-drone-launchers) KC-135 Tankers Set To Get Drone Launchers   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick           (https://www.twz.com/category/air) SEE MORE         (https://www.twz.com/) (TWZ Logo)    The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.   (handle_newsletter_email_submission) (d88dacfd8e) (TWZInline) (0) Email address  (Enter your email) (Please enter a valid email address)  Sign Up  Thank you!      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