Newly released internal emails from the Department of Defense, obtained through a FOIA request filed by The Black Vault, shed new light on two key aspects of the UAP issue: previously undisclosed (never officially acknowledged) briefings by Navy pilots to the Secretary of Defense’s front office, and the continued controversy surrounding former intelligence officer Luis Elizondo’s role in those efforts. While the documents, released under case number 25-F-2554, confirm Elizondo’s involvement in UAP related activity, they also reinforce longstanding questions about the nature and formality of that role which raise new distinctions between ‘informal coordination’ and ‘leadership’ of an official…
Author: John Greenewald
A newly released set of FBI records obtained by The Black Vault through a May 7, 2025, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request offers an inside look at how federal authorities have assessed, monitored, and characterized the threat posed by self-identified “incels” — short for “involuntary celibates” — and other ideologically isolated online communities. The release, which totals 22 pages of previously processed material, includes internal FBI communications, field office assessments, and collection priority messages circulated to law enforcement partners. According to the FBI, the documents represent material released under earlier requests, but additional responsive records may exist. One record,…
A document released from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by The Black Vault, outlines a detailed vision of advanced, nonconventional energy sources intended to power the U.S. military’s “future soldier.” Originally classified and now released with redactions, the 2009 report titled Technology Forecast: Nonconventional Energy Sources for the Future Soldier (DAR 8-350-09) offers an in-depth assessment of technologies expected to reshape battlefield power generation by 2030. According to the report, “compact, efficient, lightweight, and long-lasting energy technologies are emerging as a force multiplier in military affairs.” The analysis identifies a growing need…
This article was originally published June 5, 2024. It was updated on May 7, 2025, to showcase an appeal outcome, which is available at the bottom of the article. The controversy surrounding Luis Elizondo’s claims of directing the “Pentagon’s Secret UFO Program” known as the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) has sparked widespread debate. While Elizondo’s exact role in AATIP remains disputed by the Pentagon, it is confirmed that he was the director of the National Programs Special Management Staff (NPSMS) within the Department of Defense (DoD) at the time of his resignation. In July 2021, The Black Vault…
Following a surge of more than 5,000 drone sighting reports in New Jersey in late 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released internal briefing materials through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that outline select incidents under investigation. The documents, obtained by The Black Vault, reflect a federal response involving the FBI, DHS, Coast Guard, and other agencies — but they also point to possible misidentifications of conventional aircraft in some cases initially believed to involve drones. The FOIA case, designated 2025-HQFO-01452, was filed by The Black Vault on December 11, 2024. According to a December 18, 2024,…