The U.S. Army is looking at high-altitude balloons (HABs) that could help units see, talk and strike across the Pacific. Officials describe the idea as a way to pressure China’s anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) network. That network is a set of sensors and weapons designed to keep U.S. forces out of an area. These efforts are still experiments, not fielded capabilities.
Maj. Gen. Bernard Harrington leads the 7th Infantry Division and Multi-Domain Command-Pacific (MDC-P). He spoke about the idea at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference in Washington, D.C. MDC-P combines ground maneuver forces from the 7th Infantry Division with long-range fires capabilities from the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force. Harrington said balloons could be launched from spread-out positions, which may make them harder for an adversary to find.
Balloons used in this concept can stay aloft for weeks or months. Improved control also lets operators steer them more precisely. Above 60,000 feet, sensors on a balloon could look deep into rival territory while staying in international airspace. Satellites cost more and follow fixed orbits, so balloons may complement them. Harrington also said balloons could keep working if space-based assets were lost.
The most concrete example came from Bayonet Quest 26, an exercise in Michigan and on Lake Huron. Soldiers worked with air and maritime drones, including a quadcopter launched from a surface vessel. Harrington said the exercise tested how well MDC-P could launch systems, gather sensor data, and use artificial intelligence and large language models to produce tasking orders. This was a unit-level experiment, not an Army-wide rule or requirement.
Other tests include Valiant Shield in Guam, Orient Shield in Japan, and dozens of balloon launches by Multi-Domain Command-Europe. Those tests examined logistics, sensing and communications. For NCOs, the discussion points are practical. How would a small team manage several drones and sensors at once? How should leaders plan for seasonal changes in flight paths? Those questions show where future training and leadership may matter most.
Source: Army Times: US Army looks to high-flying balloons to help see, strike along front lines with China. Published 2026-10-27.