Let's just say we almost started an international incident back in 1988... we got chewed out by a Navy Captain in person - he had HIS instructions from Commander Pacific Fleet, who had instructions from the Chief of Naval Operations, who had instructions from SecDef, who was told to ream us out by President Reagan !!
We were a helicopter detachment flying off a US Navy Frigate back in Nov of 1988 in the Pacific waters off the Soviet bases near Vladivostock tracking their submarines. There was a pretty fierce storm blowing one night, so we couldn't fly... and were hanging out in the helicopter hangar - bored. Too rough to play "ship-volleyball" in the hangar, one of the guys took a huff off the HUGE helium tanks we had for servicing the landing gear and tires... and we had a FOOLISH idea -
We built a BIG bag out of reflective mylar... almost 4 feet x 12 feet. Sealed it with mylar tape, and filled it with helium... we now had a HUGE balloon !! Next, we attached mylar "chaff" strips (radar reflective material)... and attached 2 dozen chemical glo-sticks. We pulled it out onto the flight deck and let it GO... into 45-50 mph winds and the darkness at almost midnight.
Ooooops... our ship's radar detected it - a sudden pop-up target... and they lit it up with targeting radar rather than just search radar. THAT alerted the Soviets... who NOW saw this strange target on THEIR radar - rising from the sea near a US ship and travelling at 60+ mph and gaining speed as it gained altitude (and approached their coast-line and air-space)!! The Soviets launched interceptor fighters when it passed through 8,000 feet at a speed of 175mph (faster winds higher up)... OUR ship saw these fighters coming and had NO idea we were the cause, so a report went out to PACFLEET, which went to the Pentagon... who launched interceptors out of Alaska and Japan !!
Things were getting TENSE... our ship announced that our helicopter should LAUNCH in this lousy weather to provide SAR support for our fighters in case of an actual FIGHT !?!?
SOooo... we ran up to Combat Control and admitted that the UFO / Bogey was of our making... word was passed to the Soviets... and things calmed down.
BUT we got our collective BUTTS chewed... though two Admirals and the President were said to be laughing at the idea.