The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released a series of previously undisclosed documents confirming multiple drone incursions over the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas—a facility that plays a critical role in the nation’s nuclear weapons program. The records, released as part of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by The Black Vault on January 16, 2024, reveal significant security concerns dating back at least two years, including incidents in 2022 and 2023 that were not previously made public. The FOIA request sought all records, including photos, videos, reports, and internal communications related to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP),…
Author: John Greenewald
Newly released Air Force records confirm that Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) in Ohio experienced multiple drone incursions in mid-December 2024, prompting the temporary shutdown of military airspace and a large-scale security response. The disclosure, made through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to The Black Vault, includes incident reports, sworn witness statements, law enforcement documentation, and supporting video footage—all now public for the first time. The base, one of the most prominent and historically significant in the U.S. Air Force system, initiated emergency procedures on December 13, 2024, after security forces reported observing several unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operating…
Newly released documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) reveal that the U.S. Navy withheld 498 pages in full regarding the internal decision to release three well-known UAP (unidentified anomalous phenomena) videos known as the FLIR1, Gimbal, and GoFast. These videos were posted publicly on the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) website in April 2020, an action many believed to be a voluntary act of government transparency. However, records now confirm the long suspected reason that it was a direct result of FOIA pressure, initiated by a request filed by The Black Vault in May 2019. The cover…
The CIA’s history of losing or mismanaging UFO-related records continues with yet another example, this time, tied to a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) filed more than five years ago. The case, submitted on January 24, 2019, was finally answered on March 7, 2024. It centers on a CIA translation of two Soviet-era newspaper articles discussing unidentified flying objects. (Note: This newest response was received by The Black Vault in 2024, but written about for the first time on July 7, 2025.) The CIA’s release, which is archived as document DOC_0000015452, offers insight into how the Soviet media treated the UFO…
FBI Files: American Politicians, Aides, and Appointees Welcome to the FBI Files on American Politicians, Aides, and Appointees archive at The Black Vault. This section compiles declassified and released FBI records pertaining to public officials across all levels of government — from senators, governors, and cabinet officials to presidential advisers and political staff. These files include background checks, security reviews, investigative materials, and correspondence that illuminate how the FBI monitored, evaluated, or interacted with individuals serving in political roles. Collectively, they reveal decades of domestic intelligence practices, political scrutiny, and the evolving relationship between national security and public service. This…