Fire Balloons are aerial explosive devices, employed by Eastasia. They are used both for ground attack and air defense, as they can form aerial 'mine fields', detonating when passed by enemy aircraft. The explosion in close proximity is usually enough to severely damage, and down, most aircraft, however the balloons are known to damage nearby balloons, causing a chain reaction. To attack a ground target, the balloon descends like a parabomb. While devastatingly destructive, the balloons are slow and vulnerable, being easily downed by enemy fighter aircraft, and ground-based anti-air defense.