FOIA Request Uncovers NRO and UAP Task Force Emails

Newly released documents shed light on communications between the UAP Task Force and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The documents are part of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by The Black Vault on June 27, 2021, seeking communications between the NRO and the UAP Task Force (UAPTF). The request was made following the publication of the 2021 UAP report by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which indicated that the UAPTF had received input from the NRO. This request sought specifically the records that pertained to the input from the NRO to the UAPTF about their report.

The UAPTF, established on August 4, 2020, by the Department of Defense, aimed to understand and analyze unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) that could pose a threat to U.S. national security. In July 2022, it was rebranded as the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) with a broader scope, including surveillance, collection, and analysis of UAP incidents across various domains.

The NRO’s response, dated February 29, 2024, indicates that seventeen documents were found to be responsive to the request. One document was denied in full, and sixteen were released in part. The redactions were made under FOIA exemptions (b)(1), for properly classified information under Executive Order 13526 Section 1.4(g), and (b)(3), which is the basis for withholding information exempt from disclosure by statute, specifically 10 U.S.C. § 424.

The released documents are heavily redacted, with many sections obscured under the mentioned exemptions. The content that is visible mainly consists of email exchanges discussing the coordination and review of a draft “180 Day Report on UAP” by the UAP Task Force. There are references to informal exchanges of information, taskings, and the involvement of various offices and agencies, including the NRO, in supporting the UAP Task Force. The specifics of the support provided or the content of the discussions are largely redacted.

Some key discoveries include the following.

First, in May 2021, an email from an unknown party to an unknown party was speaking about a “UAPTF Training Video.” This video has never been known to exist before, and the contents of it are unknown. Although the email was classified SECRET, and posted on a redacted system (possibly SIPRNET or JWICS), there was indication in the email they were able to share it via a Dropbox system, which would not adhere to any protocol for transferring classified files. That means it is likely the video itself may be unclassified, and potentially releasable via FOIA.

The Black Vault has filed requests for this video to numerous agencies for a copy. Those cases will be posted on The Black Vault, once available.

Another key document is an April 22, 2021, email which refers to the NRO effort to support the UAPTF. The name of it is considered classified (given the [b][1] exemption citation in the margin), but it does show that there was an established effort at the NRO to support the UAP research efforts of the established task force.

Overall, the documents provide limited insight into the nature of the communications between the NRO and the UAP Task Force due to the extensive redactions. The reasons for the redactions are based on national security concerns and the protection of sensitive information related to the functions and personnel of the NRO. But through the redacted lines, there lies pieces of the puzzle to see just how in-depth, and how classified, the UAP research programs truly are.

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Document Archive

FOIA Request Uncovers NRO and UAP Task Force Emails [133 Pages, 4.1MB]

 

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