The Department of Defense (DOD) has released, in full, the exact text of the “Verbal Legal Advisement” presented to UFO whistleblower David Grusch and likely other witnesses during All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) interviews. The release, under FOIA case 24-F-1138 filed by The Black Vault in April 2024, answers questions raised in previous disclosures and sheds new light on how AARO sought to address concerns about security, legal liability, and nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) for witnesses providing classified UAP-related testimony.

In 2023 and 2024, AARO made numerous documented attempts to interview David Grusch regarding his claims of government involvement with and knowledge about extraterrestrial materials and reverse engineering programs. As detailed in prior FOIA releases (24-F-0266), Grusch repeatedly raised questions about whether AARO was legally authorized to receive highly classified information, including materials covered by NDAs and Special Access Programs (SAPs).

AARO staff responded by providing memorandums from both the Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, explicitly affirming AARO’s legal authority to receive all levels of UAP-related information “notwithstanding any nondisclosure agreement you may have signed”.

Despite this, Grusch continued to seek written and verbal assurances and requested further documentation about policies and procedures for handling such information, specifically questioning the limits of AARO’s authority and the protections for those disclosing sensitive material.

FOIA case 24-F-1138, filed in April 2024 by The Black Vault, specifically sought the wording of the “Verbal Legal Advisement” referenced in previous correspondence with Grusch. The DOD’s full release now makes this critical document available to the public for the first time.

The advisement, read aloud to witnesses prior to interviews, sets forth the following key points:

• Voluntary Participation: Witnesses are asked to confirm their participation is voluntary and that they may end the interview or decline to answer questions at any time.

• Privacy Act and Ownership: The interview is conducted primarily to collect historical information, with the understanding that transcripts and materials belong to the U.S. Government, may be shared with Congress, and are subject to the Privacy Act.

• Legal Status of Disclosures: Critically, the advisement states:

  “Do you understand that for the limited purpose of this oral history, and only during the course of our discussion in this Secure Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF), that the information you disclose is not subject to any Nondisclosure Agreement you have signed?”
  
  Witnesses are then advised:
  
  “Upon completion of this interview today all non-disclosure agreements remain in full force.”

• Potential Consequences for False Statements: The advisement also warns witnesses that knowingly providing false information can result in criminal penalties under 18 U.S.C. § 1001 and that withholding or falsifying information may negatively affect their security clearance and federal employment.

The entire “verbal legal advisement” is below:

The advisement is grounded in explicit statutory language. Section 1673 of the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provides that AARO is “authorized to receive any information related to UAP regardless of classification, and notwithstanding any nondisclosure agreement you may have signed.” This statutory authority is reaffirmed in memorandums from both the DOD Special Access Program Central Office and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, released to Grusch and now public through FOIA:

• “Individuals with current or previous access to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP)-related information which is subject to a USG Nondisclosure Agreement are authorized to provide this otherwise protected information to AARO representatives.”

• “The provision of UAP-related information which is subject to a Nondisclosure Agreement to AARO personnel constitutes an authorized disclosure if the information is provided and received for the limited purpose of conducting AARO’s assigned mission…”

Despite these written and verbal assurances, Grusch continued to seek additional documentation, expressing concern that simply citing the law and a DOD memo might not be sufficient protection, particularly given the complex patchwork of security policies and compartmented access involved. In emails, Grusch pressed for further clarification and asked for memos from additional agencies, including the CIA and Department of Energy, to address SAPs and other access restrictions.

AARO’s position, as reflected in both the advisement and supporting memoranda, is that the law provides broad statutory protection for such disclosures, so long as they occur within the scope of an official AARO interview and in an appropriate secure environment (like a SCIF). The advisement makes clear that any protections are limited to the duration and context of the interview itself. After the interview, all NDAs resume full effect.

As indicated by the released official documents and legal advisement, witnesses disclosing information to AARO in accordance with the advisement and in a secure setting are protected by federal law from NDA enforcement for those specific disclosures. Section 1673 of the FY23 NDAA is explicit, and violation of this provision by DOD officials, such as pursuing retaliation or NDA enforcement for authorized disclosures, would be a violation of federal law. Federal employees who act in bad faith or retaliate against whistleblowers may be subject to administrative or legal sanctions, though specific criminal penalties would depend on the circumstances and intent.

Could the DoD be lying to Grusch in order to pursue legal action after his disclosures during the interview? That is highly unlikely, as knowingly misrepresenting the legal status of NDAs or misleading witnesses about their protections could result in administrative or even criminal consequences under 18 U.S.C. § 1001 (false statements), or for violation of whistleblower protection laws.

The release of the “Verbal Legal Advisement” resolves a longstanding question about what witnesses like David Grusch were told before being asked to testify to AARO. The advisement confirms that, at least for the duration of the official interview, NDAs do not bar disclosure of UAP-related information to AARO. The law provides specific statutory protection for such disclosures, and the DOD has now placed these assurances on the public record.

But, what if the interview needed to extend beyond UAP-related information?

“The key issue here is that many of these activities have conventional classified and compartmented Security Classification Guides that also cover non-UAP activities as well,” Grusch said in a November 13th, 2023, email to the staff of AARO. “To discuss the UAP-related activities would also expose these conventional SAP mission areas. An oral history interview subject must also be absolved of this obligation to protect this information as well, some of it may be bigoted or WAIVED (lAW DODI 5205.11 and 10 USC Sec 119).”  This was a concern and issue that Grusch never felt was properly addressed, hence why he did not show for a schedule meeting with them that was originally set that next day on November 14th.

The statutory protections granted by the DoD and the AARO apply specifically to “UAP-related information,” as defined by Section 1673 of the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Verbal Legal Advisement and supporting policy memoranda make clear that witnesses can disclose any information directly related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) during official interviews, and that such disclosures are not subject to any nondisclosure agreements for the duration of the interview. Both DOD and ODNI memoranda affirm that these protections apply when disclosures are made in a secure setting and in the context of AARO’s authorized mission.

While these protections do not explicitly extend to information that lies outside the defined bounds of UAP-related topics, the legal advisement provided to witnesses specifically states that participation is voluntary, witnesses may choose not to answer any question, and the interview can be ended at any time. This means that even if there are classified or compartmented matters unrelated to UAPs that a witness feels cannot be shared, all UAP-related information can be disclosed without violating NDAs. If questioning were to extend into areas outside the UAP mandate, the advisement already protects the witness’s right to withhold responses and to withdraw from the interview if necessary.

Given these protections, witnesses are fully authorized to provide testimony and be interviewed on all UAP-related information, without fear of breaching nondisclosure agreements. Any information outside the statutory definition could be omitted, but the law and the DOD’s own procedures make clear that witnesses like Grusch could have participated, disclosed all UAP-related knowledge, and simply declined to answer or end the interview if questions moved beyond those bounds. There is no ambiguity about the legal cover provided for UAP-related disclosures within the formal process.

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Note: This article focuses on the 2023 correspondence and scheduled meeting between David Grusch and AARO. According to reporting by Matt Laslo on July 18, 2025, Representative Eric Burlison stated that “[David Grusch] and I met with AARO. And separately he and AARO had a long conversation.” However, the specific context, content, and details of those meetings have not been independently confirmed. The Black Vault has submitted additional FOIA requests seeking further information.

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OSD/JS FOIA Case 24-F-1138 [3 pages, 0.8MB]

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The post DOD Releases “Verbal Legal Advisement” Given to UFO Whistleblower David Grusch first appeared on The Black Vault.

The documents include media inquiries, internal talking points, and external commentary ranging from scientific debate to allegations of misinformation. The release is partially redacted in parts under FOIA exemptions (b)(5) and (b)(6), protecting internal deliberations and personal privacy respectively. Much of the internal decision-making, legal advice, and individual identities have been withheld as a result.

The full records are now available below.

UPDATE: A couple hours after publishing these documents, I went through some old files, and realized I forgot to mention something. On April 29, 2021, an appeal was filed by The Black Vault challenging the Department of Defense’s initial response to FOIA case 20-F-1095. The original release, totaling only 12 pages, appeared to suggest that the only responsive material was a private email list to which Pentagon spokesperson Susan Gough had been added. In the appeal, it was argued that this could not represent all responsive records, given Gough’s role as the primary contact for UAP-related inquiries within OSD and the April 27, 2020, DoD press release that addressed the specific keywords sought.

I also realized – those original records released were a lot less redacted, revealing the private list and many of the names on it.

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Note: Be mindful that in some cases, not all emails originate from DoD or government personnel. Susan Gough was added to a private email list, so make sure you watch what information is being sent and forwarded before making too many assumptions on who the author is.

FOIA Case 20-F-1095 [264 Pages, 42MB]

FOIA Case 20-F-1095 (Original Release in April 2021) [12 Pages, 0.9MB]

The post Emails From Pentagon Spokesperson Uncovered on Gimbal, FLIR1, and GoFast UFO Videos first appeared on The Black Vault.

The FOIA request targeted emails to and from Yasir Qureshi, identified through sources and publicly available LinkedIn information as a Navy Program Manager who was involved in the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF), led by Jay Stratton and later Brennan McKernan. As of December 2024, Qureshi now appears to be at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security (OUSD(I&S)) (this is solely using openly sourced information that is publicly available via LinkedIn), suggesting possible current involvement in the successor entity, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), though this has not been confirmed. It does state “Deputy Director H&SA” as his current position (also available publicly on LinkedIn), but it is unclear exactly what “H&SA” is in this context.

Although names were redacted throughout the release under FOIA Exemption (b)(6), the Navy mistakenly failed to apply those redactions correctly, inadvertently revealing email addresses, phone numbers, and also Qureshi’s identity in certain parts of the file upon release. The Black Vault chose to re-apply those redactions as originally intended by the Navy to protect privacy and as a courtesy to the U.S. Navy. Although The Black Vault was also going to withhold Qureshi’s name from publication once documents were released and published, a decision was made to publish Qureshi’s name in this, since it was used in the official FOIA response letter by the Navy, which becomes a matter of public record, and this case will be listed in the Navy’s FOIA case log.

FAA Sightings, ODNI Coordination

The 17-page release includes internal discussions and email threads from October through December 2021 between various Navy components and other government agencies, including the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), addressing a civilian UAP sighting report submitted by an FAA employee.

“I’m thinking I’d probably want to get this to the UAPTF,” the FAA employee wrote in one email, providing dates and times of three separate UAP encounters observed “from the ground,” dating back to Christmas nights in 1991, 1992, and 1993. While noting hesitation in providing full detail, the sender emphasized they would feel more comfortable elaborating if historical radar data confirmed anomalous activity: “If there’s historical radar data that says there was something odd going on… I’d definitely feel a lot more comfortable describing what I saw.”

Emails show that the report was routed to ODNI Public Affairs before being passed along to Navy officials and ultimately to the UAPTF. “Thanks… much appreciated. I have actually spoken to him briefly, and he did pass me his report,” one Navy official wrote in a reply.

Five Eyes Briefings and AARO Transition

These newly released Navy emails also confirm high-level UAP coordination between the U.S. and its Five Eyes allies: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. On December 8, 2021, members of the UAP Task Force (UAPTF), including its director, were scheduled to meet with international counterparts for a classified discussion on unidentified aerial phenomena.

“Re tomorrow’s UAP briefing, I received confirmation from Australia and Canada they will be here … and of course UK,” one U.S. official wrote.

The meeting, however, was ultimately rescheduled due to a last-minute calendar conflict. That decision prompted frustration from officials within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security (OUSD(I&S)). “I have to say, I’m a bit disappointed this did not happen,” wrote a U.S. official, who had encouraged partners to reserve time. A UAPTF counterpart responded, “The last thing we want to do is be dismissive of our allies and their time.”

But, later meetings between the Five Eyes did indeed take place, and were confirmed through U.S. documents also released under the FOIA to Australian researcher Grant Lavac, which listed a Five Eyes “caucus working group” with an explicit goal: “to cultivate shared awareness of allies’ UAP issues, detection, and mitigation activities and challenges.” The agenda included discussions of “networks to share Five Eyes UAP reporting”.

The newly released emails contradict multiple public statements previously made by Australia’s top military leadership. As recently highlighted by The Canberra Times, Air Marshal Robert Chipman — then Chief of Air Force and now Vice Chief of Defence — twice denied that Australia had been briefed by the United States on UAPs. “I’m not aware of any formal discussions that we’ve held with the US,” he told Parliament in 2022. When asked again in 2023 if any Australian defence attachés had received UAPTF briefings, Chipman replied flatly, “No.”

The Canberra Times article, authored by Jamieson Murphy, credited independent UAP researcher Lavac for identifying the significance of the emails and exposing the contradiction. Lavac called the lack of transparency “quite concerning,” adding, “The Chief of Air Force leads all discussions on UAP in Australia, so if there’s one person that needs to know what is happening on this topic in an Australian context and our discussions with allies, it’s him.”

According to Lavac, there are only three explanations: “He’s either uninformed because there is a complete lack of intelligence sharing, or there’s a degree of incompetence, or it’s something more sinister like plausible deniability. Any one of those three scenarios is concerning.”

The email release also occurred in the final weeks before the formal establishment of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the successor to the UAPTF. On November 23, 2021, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks issued a directive for OUSD(I&S) to take over the UAPTF’s responsibilities and create a permanent structure. Her memorandum, included in the FOIA release, emphasized the need to synchronize UAP data collection and analysis across the military and intelligence community, and to collaborate with non-DoD partners, including foreign allies.

The documents confirm that international UAP cooperation was already underway, and they raise questions about why those efforts were denied in official forums. As The Canberra Times noted, the Department of Defence declined to answer when asked whether Australia had attended the Five Eyes briefing.

Contracting, Budget Questions, and Transition to OUSD(I&S)

Another thread includes internal Navy discussions about whether to proceed with onboarding a knowledge management specialist to support the Task Force — possibly using contractor support. However, with the imminent shift of the portfolio to OUSD(I&S), officials voiced concern over wasting resources if funding was rerouted.

“With OUSD(I&S) taking over the portfolio, this may be OBE [overcome by events],” one official wrote. “I don’t want the company to hire an individual if… there is no money due to a CR [Continuing Resolution].”

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DON-NAVY-2022-003198 Release Package [20 Pages, 1MB]

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The post Newly Released Navy Emails Reveal UAP Coordination, Five Eyes Briefings, and Forgotten Redactions first appeared on The Black Vault.

While UFO enthusiasts may have hoped for evidence of extraordinary phenomena, the documents largely revolve around repeated sightings of drones near sensitive nuclear installations.

Nonetheless, these incidents provide an intriguing insight into ongoing challenges relating to these events.

The released materials include several detailed reports from 2022-2024, highlighting a surge of drone-related activity near nuclear facilities. The records reveal a pattern of sightings, as documented by the NRC, which were then sent to AARO to add to their yearly reports.

Here are just some of those incidents:

These records illustrate the growing amount of drone activity over critical infrastructure. Although the released documents primarily focus on drone sightings, they shed light on the broader scope of AARO’s work in addressing potential aerial threats—whether they stem from benign curiosity, commercial misuse, or nefarious intent.

While these incidents released by the NRC do not reveal any groundbreaking revelations about unidentified aerial phenomena, they underscore the critical need to address drone incursions at sensitive sites. This concern was magnified by the December 2024 drone sightings over the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in New Jersey, along with other sightings at Salem and Hope Creek Nuclear Generating Stations.

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FOIA-2025-000142 Release Package [24 Pages, 3MB]

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The post New Documents Highlight Drone Sightings Near Nuclear Facilities first appeared on The Black Vault.

I’m going to — in a moment, I’ll turn it over to Dr. Kosloski to provide opening remarks, then we will go to Q&A. I will be moderating and calling on you. Because Dr. Kosloski is — this is his first time with you all, we would appreciate it if you would identify yourself by name and outlet when you ask your question. Please keep it to one question and one follow up. And as we — if we have more time, I will circle back. We have about 30 minutes. All right, Dr. Kosloski.

DR. JON KOSLOSKI: Thanks, Sue. Good morning. I’m Dr. Jon Kosloski, director of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office or AARO. It’s a pleasure to be here today to introduce myself and to provide an update of the work of our office. As you know, I assumed the AARO directorship in August following more than two decades at the National Security Agency where I did advanced research in the areas of optics, computing and crypto mathematics.

By nature, I’m drawn to tough scientific problems, which is what brought me to AARO and the UAP mission. Unidentified objects in any domain pose potential threats to safety and security. Reports of unidentified anomalous phenomenon, particularly near national security sites, must be treated seriously and investigated with scientific rigor by the U.S. government.

Since becoming director, I’ve been extremely pleased by AARO’s team and the framework they’ve established for rigorous analysis of UAP reports. AARO has taken meaningful steps to improve data collection and retention, bolster sensor development, effectively triage UAP reports, and reduce the stigma of reporting a UAP event.

In the coming year, AARO will prioritize building partnerships, promoting increased transparency and scaling up the work of the office.

This week, the department delivered its Fiscal Year 2024 consolidated annual report on UAP and had the opportunity to brief congressional staff on the report’s findings.

As of today, over 1,600 UAP reports, 757 of which — I’m sorry, AARO has received over 1,600 UAP reports, over 757 of which came to AARO during the period covered by the report. AARO has successfully resolved hundreds of cases in its holdings to commonplace objects such as balloons, birds, drones, satellites and aircraft.

Meanwhile, over 900 reports lack sufficient data for — scientific data for analysis and are retained in our active archive. These cases may be reopened and resolved, should additional information emerge to support analysis. I want to emphasize that although only a very small percentage of reports to AARO are potentially anomalous, these are the cases that require significant time, resources and a focused scientific inquiry by AARO and its partners.

It is also important to underscore that to date, AARO has discovered no verifiable evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity or technology. None of the cases resolved by AARO have pointed to advanced capabilities or breakthrough technologies. It is also worth noting that AARO continues to see a geographic bias of UAP reports near U.S. military assets and sensors.

However, this bias has been mitigated somewhat by an increase in commercial pilot reporting in the continental United States. AARO is working closely with the services to implement existing reporting guidance while expanding UAP reporting to more of the interagency. Meanwhile, AARO continues to review the U.S. historical record relating to UAP and will release a second volume of its congressionally directed Historical Record Report.

We welcome any former or current government civilian, contractor or military service member with relevant information to reach out to us at www.AARO.mil. For every UAP report, operational or historical, AARO will follow the science and data wherever they lead. And we are committed to sharing as much information as possible at the unclassified level to inform the public of our activities and findings. With that, I’ll take your questions.

STAFF: Brandi?

Q: Thanks. Thank you so much for doing this. I’m Brandi Vincent with Defense Scoop. One question on the report and then a follow-up. It noted that the next step for Gremlin, the Gremlin capability, is conducting a 90-day pattern of life collection at a national security site. Where is that going to be? How did you pick that location? And what ultimately are you guys trying to accomplish with that?

DR. KOSLOSKI: So it’s currently deployed. We’d rather not say exactly where it is because we want it to be an unbiased test and don’t want to invite folks to come and do flyovers and test against the system. We chose that specific location because of the environment. We expect there to be a lot of variety in the types of things that we’re going to see. And there had been UAP reports in that general area.

And we’re trying to build a baseline. So, right now, we have this geographic bias where we are getting reports near the national security sites. But we also have a bias from pilots and other security personnel. So we want to have a better understanding of what normal looks like near those national security sites. And then eventually we’ll be expanding our baseline investigations to other areas in the U.S. to look at what normal looks like away from national security sites.

Q: And then, after the hearing on the Hill yesterday, lawmakers were saying that they are really keen to meet in a SCIF with AARO officials, other DOD officials, whistleblowers and members of Congress. Is that something you’ve been approached about, have done or are open to doing?

DR. KOSLOSKI: So we’re absolutely open to meeting with everybody. We’ve been meeting with a variety of folks, from whistleblowers through staffers. And we encourage anybody with direct information to come to us, go to our secure reporting mechanism on the website. And when we get that, we’ll reach out to them, schedule a meeting in the SCIF.

And Congress has enabled us to receive all sensitive information regardless of classification or NDAs they may have signed. And we receive that information. And we follow-up on every tip that they provide us.

Q: Thank you.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Yes.

STAFF: Oren

Q: Two questions. One, I was wondering if you could talk about whether any analysis or data of reports you have received has led you to the foreign adversary conclusion, specifically the UASs — 18 reports of UASs spotted near nuclear facilities? And then I was wondering if you could just talk about the — the — the effort to increase engagement with foreign partners for a better —a broader array of sensors, data analysis information.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Sure. So, firstly, no, we have not been able to correlate any UAP activity to adversarial collection activities or advanced technologies. I also want to make it clear that UAP covers a lot of potential activity by its very nature. The definition is in the name, right? So it’s unidentified and it’s anomalous. Once we know that it’s a UAV or a UAS of some nature, we then hand that responsibility off to one of our partners.

So Langley being a great example. It was known to be UAV activity, so we were there in a supporting role, but it was not our responsibility to address that. So those investigations are conducted by somebody else. And we’re focusing on the truly anomalous where we don’t understand the activity. And then for the foreign engagement, we’re working on increasing our foreign engagement.

We recognize that UAP is not just going to be a domestic issue. The office has focused primarily on U.S. government. And we’re going to be growing to public reporting soon in 2025. And we’re going to be growing our international partnerships hopefully also in 2025. So starting with the group that we have the most familiar — familiarity with and then growing that from there.

Q: Are there any specific countries you can name in terms of who you aim to work with?

DR. KOSLOSKI: We are going to be starting with the traditional allies of the DOD and the IC. And I’ll leave it at that for now until we have those partnerships well established and then we’ll probably come out with more information. Yes.

STAFF: Yes. Nick?

Q: Nick Schifrin, PBS NewsHour. Thanks very much for doing this. This may be basic and silly, but I just want to read you a quotation from the hearing yesterday and have you respond to it. This is Luis Elizondo, former DOD official. “Let me be clear. UAP are real. Advanced technologies not made by our government or any other government are monitoring sensitive military installations around the globe. The U.S. is in possession of UAP technologies as are some of our adversaries.”

Can you just give us a sense of your perspective on that quotation?

DR. KOSLOSKI: Break that down, so there’s a lot in that quotation. Firstly, absolutely agree. UAP are real. We — as I said, we’ve received 1,600 cases. A large number of those are unresolved, which means we don’t know exactly what they are. Until we know what they are or who they belong to, we can’t attribute intent and understand exactly what the purpose of that phenomenon is. So we’re not comfortable —we at AARO, are not comfortable saying at this time whether or not the UAP are there to collect information or not.

In regards to whether or not AARO, U.S. government or any other government has UAP. We have not found any evidence of that at this time.

Q: …but the bottom line conclusion remains what you said at the top — There is no verifiable evidence of extraterrestrial activity.

DR. KOSLOSKI: We have not found any, no. There are definitely anomalies. We have not been able to draw the link to extraterrestrial.

STAFF: Phil.

Q: Just to follow up on that.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Yes.

Q: You know, a lot of people read that or saw — just that hearing. You know, when you said there was no breakthrough technologies. I mean the person seems to be suggesting that, you know, at a minimum these are breakthrough technologies. What leads you to assume that the ones that —the UAP cases that you can’t resolve are not potentially breakthrough technologies? Or is it that you just haven’t been able to conclusively decide either way?

DR. KOSLOSKI: That’s exactly right. So we don’t fully understand the phenomenon enough to say whether or not it’s a breakthrough technology or not. So it’s a very small percentage of our overall cases that after the initial analysis still have the anomalous characteristics that one could attribute breakthrough technologies to. It’s less than 3.5% of our cases. And we’re still studying those with our IC and S&T partners, trying to understand what technologies could be used to provide those characteristics.

But we don’t understand them well enough to say whether it’s a breakthrough technology, a misunderstanding of the sensor performance or something else.

Q: And a skeptic might say that, you know, if you — just because you can’t explain it isn’t a reason to assume that it’s not a breakthrough technology or I mean by the definition of breakthrough technology would be something that you don’t have — if you don’t have it, you can’t explain, right?

DR. KOSLOSKI: Agree 100%. So, we’re not ruling it out. We’re open to that as an explanation for it. But we’re just not attributing breakthrough technology as the explanation to it. We’re — an open mind works both ways. So if we don’t understand what it is, we can’t say that it is or is not a breakthrough technology. So we’re just trying to keep an open mind.

Q: Got it. It’s not a catch 22.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Right.

Q: (inaudible) OK.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Yes. It — we accept that the explanation could be a misunderstanding of ours in interpreting the data or it could be a breakthrough technology. Until we understand, we don’t know.

Q: Thank you. Brad Dress, for The Hill. Have you found anything that might be a breakthrough technology? I know you’re saying you don’t know if there are breakthroughs yet, but something that might be a breakthrough technology near the military sites, some of those sightings you’ve seen near the military sites, have you found anything that might be that? Or are they all just been drones and UAS?

DR. KOSLOSKI: It’s definitely not all just drones and UAS. So we have several particularly interesting cases. We’re working on within the office, working with our partners to downgrade several of those cases, so we can talk about them publicly. But there are interesting cases that I, with my physics and engineering background and time in the IC, I do not understand. And I don’t know anybody else who understands them either.

Q: But those near military sites and facilities?

DR. KOSLOSKI: Until we get the information approved for release, I’d rather not say where those sightings were, but definitely interesting sightings.

Q: OK. Thank you. Tanya Nori with NewsNation. Can you please speak to AARO’s involvement in investigating incidents of drone or UAP, UAV incursions at the U.S. southern border with Mexico?

DR. KOSLOSKI: So we — I’m not that familiar with any specific investigations that we have — that AARO has supported for UAP or sorry, UAS, UAV activity near the southern border. We have had several UAP cases that have been brought to us that were near the border that we’ve investigated. I believe that we have resolved the cases that have been brought to us. And we’re working on downgrading those so that we can share those.

Q: And do you — can you speak to the procedures that are in place for Border Patrol agents to report UFO sightings? And how are those reports handled and investigated by the Pentagon overall and by AARO specifically?

DR. KOSLOSKI: So at this time, I don’t believe we have a formal mechanism for Border Patrol to report to AARO. Right now, the only formal mechanism is through the DOD. And we’re working on expanding that across the government through the interagency and for public reporting. We expect that formally to be in place hopefully in 2025. Right now, we’re getting those cases more through partnerships that those folks have with DOD or counterintelligence members.

STAFF: Luis?

Q: Hi. Luis Martinez with ABC News. Thank you for doing this and welcome.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Thank you for coming.

Q: Yes. I would like to follow-up on that earlier question about incidents you cannot explain based on your, you know, broad experience. A couple of follow-ups on that, please. Were these all within the last year? Were these all at the same location? Were you looking at video evidence? Or what are the metrics that you’re looking at that you cannot explain?

DR. KOSLOSKI: Great question. So of the cases that I’m thinking of, there’s a variety of them. The cases that are top of my mind are spread out over the last year and a half. I’m sure that there’s some other anomalous ones a little further back. But the ones that I’m particularly most interested in are the last year and a half. There is some video footage for a few of the cases, not all of the cases.

So it’s not just eyewitnesses. But in each of the cases I’m particularly interested in, there were multiple eyewitnesses. And there is additional data to go with them. It remains to be seen whether or not that additional data is going to be sufficient for us to either resolve the case, understand whether it’s a UAV, bird or balloon, or say something substantive about the nature of the unknown phenomenon.

So we’re still trying to understand whether or not there’s more data available. Because we get the data that comes in from the witnesses. But we also go through a bunch of other sources. Whether or not we can enrich the data that was brought to us and then build a better case. Still digging into it.

Q: What are some of the characteristics or are there — is there a trend among these things? And are they extended period incidents or are they very, very quick?

DR. KOSLOSKI: In each of these cases, they were not extended. The cases that I’m thinking of, there was no commonality across the different cases, different morphologies, so orbs, cylinders, triangles. In one of the cases, it has been happening over an extended period of time. And it is possible that there’s multiple things happening. There could be some UAV activity in the environment that’s getting confused or conflated with the UAP activity, so we’re trying to tease that out right now.

Q: Just to clarify, earlier, you said Langley was UAVs. This — who — the Langley incidents would not be among what you’re describing?

DR. KOSLOSKI: Correct.

Q: OK.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Correct.

STAFF: Konstantin?

Q: Thanks. Konstantin Toropin with Military.com. So one of the sort of key criticisms, I think, around this issue from the hearing yesterday was government transparency, lack of government transparency. I mean, can you sort of speak to that critique and whether you feel that AARO is being overly secretive? If you guys are working on being more transparent, sort of address this criticism from the Hill that you guys are emblematic of a government that overtly classifies everything and?

DR. KOSLOSKI: Yes, yes, it’s an understandable concern. And I’m going to make a comment. My wife would like me to share more about the UAP incidents too, but I’ll — I guess it’s on the record now, so.

(Laughter)

The fundamental issue is that AARO receives cases from our partners. And in most cases, to date, because we’ve been working through the services, those partners are providing data that is gathered from sensitive platforms. And we need to make sure that we are protecting sensitive sources and methods not introducing vulnerabilities to their operations.

So even though that there’s nothing inherently classified about the existence of a UAP, we have to protect that information. When AARO receives those interesting cases, the cases that we’re just briefly talking about, we try to identify if the UAP information can be isolated from the sensitive — usually it’s metadata that identifies characteristics of the platform.

And we work to downgrade that material as much as we can. But we can’t do it unilaterally. It has to be in partnership with the folks that brought that information. That is a very deliberate process, as you can imagine, to make sure that we’re not releasing sensitive information. So we have taken significant steps to speed that up. We’ve hired a number of declassification experts.

We’re going to be hosting a declassification workshop, so we can make sure we’re implementing best practices from across the DOD and the IC. All of that takes more time than I think the public would like for it to take, but AARO is working on it. We recognize that the types of cases that I was just talking about are, from my perspective, true anomalies.

And we’re going to need significant scientific rigor to address those. And yes, the U.S. government has a lot of nice scientists, little bias there, but we’re going to need the help of academia and the public to address some of these so we need to build that more transparent partnership.

Q: And just to follow-up sort of on the flip side, you know, is there any — as you look at cases to release for example, you talked about how at least one of the interesting ones is sort of ongoing. Is there a world where you hold back release out of fear of drawing more reports, you know, sort of drawing attention to a location and getting copycats or you know what have you sort of muddying the data?

DR. KOSLOSKI: Yes, so that concern has been raised to us. Because bad data in gets bad analysis out. However, no data in gets no analysis out. And so, being an NSA guy, I’m a firm believer in big data is going to lead to better conclusions. And I would rather have to filter out some of those copycat cases but have more substantive data. If we’re looking for a needle in a haystack, I’d rather have multiple haystacks to go digging through rather than just one.

Q: Thank you.

STAFF: Brandi.

Q: Just one quick follow up.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Yes.

Q: I’m sorry if I’ve missed it before, but what is AARO or your definition for breakthrough technology?

DR. KOSLOSKI: So lots of people, lots of organizations have different definitions. And the definition, the working definition that we’ve been using informally inside of our office, and we are working on more formal definitions for the different domains for space, the air domain and the undersea domain. But the general definition is beyond state of the art today and beyond where we think that we could get in the next couple years.

So we keep an eye on the capabilities of ourselves, our partners and everyone else at the academic and the very technical level. And then if it’s beyond that, then we would say that’s a breakthrough technology.

STAFF: Phil.

Q: Just a quick follow-up on your answer to Konstantin.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Yes.

Q: So, if you need to — I mean, I guess a lot of Americans have this view of the government as kind of all-knowing and being able to ascertain, you know, everything, particularly when they think of NSA and other agencies.

DR. KOSLOSKI: If only.

Q: And so, I guess if you could help us explain to readers, you know, what is it about these phenomena that — that, you know, reach the limits of government of the understanding of the professionals in the government and why it would be necessary to bring in academics? That’d be helpful for us.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Great question. So following on Brandi’s question, if it’s a breakthrough technology by its very nature, we don’t know how it would be done, right? If we knew how to do it, we’d be doing it already and it wouldn’t be a breakthrough technology. And so, usually those breakthroughs are coming from the academics. Historically, either in science or engineering, the breakthroughs come from academia and then they go into industry and then they come into government.

The government’s employing a lot of scientists like myself and others who understand a fair amount about the science. But being able to extend that to something that we could not have imagined when we were in school or when we were in training is a very difficult process. And so we’re going to have to pull in those folks that they spend all day every day just thinking of what is the next possible thing that you could do if you were just to tweak the equations a little bit this way or change the material a little bit that way.

And the government, because of our day jobs we don’t get to spend all day every day doing that as much as I would like to.

STAFF: Nick?

Q: Just two small clarification, so the — what you called interesting cases at the beginning and then Luis asked you more specific spread out over the last year and a half. Just to be clear, those are cases that we don’t know about, right? Meaning, we have not read about these cases that you’re speaking about?

DR. KOSLOSKI: Correct, correct.

Q: You said to Luis, one of the cases has been happening over extended period of time. I think Konstantin said ongoing. Just to be clear, that is ongoing or you just —or was it just happening over extended period of time? And you’re not saying whether it’s extended or not?

DR. KOSLOSKI: Extended period of time. It may be ongoing. But we don’t know if the current activity is just drone activity in the environment. And so, we’re trying to follow-up on that. We had put more energy into it earlier on, something flared up and now we’re checking on it.

Q: OK.

Q: Ellie, CBS. Just a follow-up on the interesting cases. Are the interesting cases that you’re talking about the 21 cases that merit further analysis or are they part of the active archive?

DR. KOSLOSKI: They’re part of the 21, yes, that merit. So the active archive, just so that we’re clear, those are cases where we don’t have enough scientific data to continue the analysis. We’re always looking for more. And then when we do, we’ll pull those into the merit more analysis. Yes.

STAFF: Luis

Q: Last year’s report in the time frame had 281 new, I believe incidents. Now you have 485. What do we owe this really large increase to?

DR. KOSLOSKI: So I just —the new incidents I think to be clear, this — it had 757.

Q: In your report here, you talk about a total of 757, you know, in the period of the reporting period.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Yes.

Q: Of which 485 were from this year and then the remainder were from previous.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Oh, yes. Yes.

Q: But then, in last year’s report, which was from — and I’m looking at my notes here —

DR. KOSLOSKI: Why the ramp up in reporting?

Q: Yes, I mean an additional 200, I mean in the same reporting period?

DR. KOSLOSKI: Yes. Engagement.

Q: Right.

DR. KOSLOSKI: So we’re — we have the GENADMIN out. We’re engaged with the services. We’re engaging more with the services, helping them understand what qualifies as a UAP, how to report it. And we’re getting more reports of the anomalous activity. It’s not that there’s —we don’t believe that there’s necessarily more anomalous activity.

It’s just, we’re getting greater, greater reporting. And we expect as we continue that engagement with the services, but also across the IC and the rest of the government to the question earlier, we’re going to see that reporting go up as well. We’re going to follow that with education campaigns, so that for example, the FAA is providing us reports now as well.

So we’re getting reports from the pilots. Some of the reports from the pilots are Starlink flares, so light glinting off of satellites at just the right time of the evening. It looks interesting and potentially anomalous. But we can model that and we can show pilots what that anomaly looks like, so that that doesn’t get reported to us necessarily.

So we’re going to follow up the engagement campaigns with education campaigns so that as we’re increasing the number of accounts that come to us, we’re not just getting more of the noise and trying to keep it focused on the interesting.

STAFF: Oren.

Q: Just a very quick question on the active archive, do you have an instance or instances where you have gotten more information for an event in the active archive and have pulled it out or is that?

DR. KOSLOSKI: Thank you for asking. We do, yes.

(Laughter)

Yes, we do. So it actually was the instance that I’m most familiar with was a Starlink instance. So we had several folks over the period, I think, it was multiple months, where we’re seeing interesting activity in the sky. And we found that when we — because we’re continuously looking back at that active archive and looking for correlations across those incidents, but also new incidents coming in.

We found some of those correlations in time, the direction that they were looking, and the location. And we were able to assess that they were all in those cases looking at Starlink flares. Yes.

STAFF: (inaudible)

Q: How many people work in your office?

DR. KOSLOSKI: We have several dozen folks working in the office, but the power of the office isn’t the number of people who work in it, it’s our partnerships across the IC and the DOD. And hopefully, in the near future academia as well.

STAFF: Luis.

Q: In the historical report from earlier this year, there was mentioned that in the 1950s and 60s as pilots started, commercial pilots started flying, they saw reflections as well off of what were like U-2 aircraft at that time. So this new Starlink seems to be very reminiscent of that. That’s—

DR. KOSLOSKI: Yes, very reminiscent. Yes.

Q: So you’re seeing an uptick in that, that might be again, a historical parallel, right?

DR. KOSLOSKI: Yes. And we do see some trends in the morphologies that are reported. So for a while, we were seeing a lot more balloons. And then pilots started understanding what some of the space trash looked like. And now we’re seeing as the mega satellite constellations are increasing, Starlink and there’s others that are going up, we’re seeing an increase in those lights in the sky that look very unusual as those satellites are deploying. And we expect that that trend will also go down eventually. Yes.

STAFF: Ellie?

Q: I have to ask a broadcast specific question, but do you anticipate releasing any video related to any of the cases that were ruled out or that are still unexplained?

DR. KOSLOSKI: So we’re going to be — we have some resolved cases that are of public interest that have been talked about publicly that will be releasing on the 19th. I think those are going to come with videos? Yes. And then, as we downgrade information, the hope is that we will be able to release as much of that content as we can to the public so that we can get help in resolving them. Yes.

STAFF: Mosheh?

Q: Thanks for doing this. Mosheh Gaines with NBC. You said earlier that there wasn’t evidence that the UAP activity was linked to foreign adversaries. But I’m wondering, have you seen any kind of suggestion that foreign adversaries have been trying to capitalize off of this with disinformation or anything else?

DR. KOSLOSKI: We have not. But I am concerned that somebody could use the potential stigma to and take advantage of that. If there is a stigma associated with reporting UAP, then that’s an opportunity for the adversary to maybe conduct collection operations and not have folks report on it. But we haven’t seen evidence of that yet.

STAFF: We’ve got time for one more question. Anybody have one? (inaudible)

Q: So can you speak to any historic incidents like the Phoenix Lights incident in the 1990s, which many who claimed to have been a witness to the event feel the government has never taken seriously?

DR. KOSLOSKI: So, we take those incidents very seriously. And we’re going to be releasing some analysis in the upcoming Volume II Historical Report in the next few months, where we were able to resolve a number of historic cases. There are quite a few cases of public interest where we have resource limitations, either we can’t get enough technical data from — back.

In the case of the Phoenix, there’s lots of video. And we can — we’re still working on that. I was actually having a conversation with somebody earlier this morning about additional data we can get for the Phoenix case. But in a lot of the historic cases, we’re going looking for film. And the film has been recycled or destroyed because it’s too expensive to retain.

And so we’re going to museums. And all of that takes a lot of manpower. At the same time, we’re trying to resolve these other interesting cases that are coming in continuously, these 1,600 cases that we have. So we’re trying to balance those. But the historical report that’s coming out will have some of those that you had asked about.

STAFF: All right, folks. Thank you very much.

DR. KOSLOSKI: Thank you very much.

Q: Thank you.

The post Transcript: Dr. Jon Kosloski, Director, AARO, Media Roundtable on the FY24 Consolidated Annual Report on UAP – November 14, 2024 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The U.S. Navy has recently released several Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) briefing documents through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), shedding new light on the U.S. government’s involvement investigating the phenomenon through the now disbanded UAP Task Force (UAPTF). Some of these briefings were tied to FOIA cases and subsequent appeals filed by The Black Vault, fighting for the release of these records that were originally denied in full or stonewalled due to excessive processing times that went on for years, despite “expedited processing” being granted after the initial filing.

These briefings, created through the 2020/2021 timeframe by the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and the UAPTF, were prepared for high-level defense committees and officials, including the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), U.S. Marine Corps, and the Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence (DDNI) and others. While the documents remain heavily redacted to protect national security, they reveal significant details about UAPs and how U.S. agencies view these unexplained aerial phenomena as potential threats.

The documents all have substantial redactions under exemption (b)(1), which conceals information critical to national security. Even the classification level itself is withheld, emphasizing the sensitivity of the briefings. The UAPTF, operating under ONI, led an interagency effort to collect, analyze, and share operational, scientific, and technical data on UAPs in a bid to understand their implications for aviation safety and U.S. national security. The focus on safety and security is evident, as multiple sections in the briefings underscore the frequency of UAP encounters near military training areas and sensitive airspace, where what they also refer to as “Range Foulers” interfere with air operations.

U.S. aircrews have described close and often unsettling encounters with these objects, which often display advanced, non-traditional flight characteristics and appear through multi-sensor detections, including radar and infrared. The UAPTF’s task, as detailed in the May 17, 2021, briefing, is to gather and centralize such data while removing stigma from reporting incidents, encouraging more aircrews to report sightings without fear of professional reprisal. According to these documents, the task force views these reports as critical for anticipating and addressing potential foreign technology and intelligence threats.

Throughout the briefings, several examples of UAP encounters are shared, though most remain heavily redacted. One example describes a UAP observed as a “spherical” object that moved toward the water’s surface before disappearing, with search efforts for wreckage yielding no results. Another incident notes the sighting of “triangular” objects through visual confirmation and sensors, which, like many other sightings, originated near U.S. training areas where both routine and intensive testing occurs. These briefings reveal that the UAPTF was actively working with partners across the Department of Defense, as well as with agencies like NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the intelligence community, to expand its data analysis capabilities. While a specific classification level was redacted, documents also reveal that a framework is in place to use these reports to “cue various other advanced means of tracking and analysis” across multiple agencies. This coordinated data-sharing approach points to the high priority given to understanding and mitigating the risks associated with UAP encounters.

Each document emphasizes the need to develop a comprehensive approach for analyzing UAP incidents, with experts across science, intelligence, and technology sectors contributing to the process. The UAPTF is tasked with preparing periodic assessments for Congress, with efforts directed toward enhancing data collection, analysis, and the establishment of more streamlined reporting standards.

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Briefing for the Deputy Director, Naval Intelligence Director, Naval Intelligence Activity – February 27, 2020 [20 Pages, 2.5MB]

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Briefing for the House Armed Services Committee – March 11, 2020 [17 Pages, 2.0MB]

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Briefing for the United States Marine Corps – Date Unknown [18 Pages, 2.0MB]

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Briefing for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) – May 17, 2021 [15 Pages, 2.5MB]

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Briefing and Emails With STRATCOM – July 2020 [23 Pages, 1.8MB]

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The post U.S. Navy Releases UAP Briefing Documents first appeared on The Black Vault.

The story first appeared on The Black Vault in the article “Secrecy Deepens About U.S. Army Agreement to Analyze UFO Material“ published on October 17, 2019. In it, The Black Vault outlined the initial revelations and the air of mystery surrounding the agreement. Despite TTSA’s press release announcing the CRADA, few details were available about the material involved or the specific goals of the research. This secrecy raised concerns that the public might never fully understand the scope of the collaboration. The article highlighted that the Army, despite being relatively open about some aspects of the agreement, did not disclose the nature or origin of the material it intended to study.

Months later, The Black Vault followed up with a second article titled “Army Confirms Testing UFO Debris; Secrecy May Loom for Years About Results,” published on March 4, 2020. This marked a significant milestone in public awareness, as the Army officially confirmed it was actively conducting tests on materials linked to UAPs, which it had obtained through TTSA.  The article also highlighted growing public frustration as little information was being shared about the testing process or the findings.

The Black Vault’s investigation into the Army-TTSA collaboration took another turn when the “Department of Defense Exempts Records on To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science“ article was published on January 25, 2021. This third installment revealed that the Department of Defense (DoD) invoked specific exemptions to block the release of CRADA-related documents through FOIA requests. These exemptions, notably those regarding national defense and foreign policy, cast doubt on whether the public would ever have full access to the results or documentation related to the tests conducted under the CRADA.

Together, these three articles document the evolving but highly restricted public knowledge of the Army-TTSA agreement. The agreement initially sparked hope that the Army’s involvement would bring scientific scrutiny and transparency to the investigation of UAP materials. However, over time, it became apparent that the Army’s testing would remain largely shielded from public view, with secrecy surrounding the results and the materials involved growing deeper.

The Black Vault, through numerous FOIA requests, has continued to press for the release of material generated by the CRADA. This dedicated archive serves as a repository for all related documentation, reflecting the ongoing battle between transparency and government secrecy in matters related to UAPs and UFO research in relation to this CRADA. Each document obtained adds another piece to the puzzle, but the full picture of what the Army and TTSA discovered remains elusive.

The Black Vault negotiated a “rolling release” with the Army, and the first package was released on October 23, 2024. It is unclear how much more information will be released, and when, but the Army has assured The Black Vault it continues to process the records as quickly as possible. This page will be updated as those additional releases are received.

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FA-24-0006

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FA-23-0015

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FA-21-0064

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The post Army and To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science: Unveiling the Secrecy Behind the UFO Material Testing Agreement first appeared on The Black Vault.

A recent release of documents obtained through two Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by The Black Vault in 2021 and 2022, has shed light on a briefing about Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (now referred to as Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena [UAP]) by the UAP Task Force (UAPTF) for NASA.

The UAPTF was a U.S. Department of Defense program established to investigate UAP reports, running from 2020 until its transition to the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG) in 2021.

The requests specifically asked for “all communications, emails or otherwise, between the UAP Task Force, and NASA,” after it was revealed in NASA FOIA Case 21-HQ-F-00507 that the UAPTF had requested NASA brief them on UAPs in September 2020. That case sought all communications between the task force and NASA. A second case was filed in 2022 to specifically request a “classified slide deck on Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP), created by Jay Stratton, that was shown to NASA and likely other agencies in October of 2020” also revealed by previously released documents.

These newly released records, sent by the U.S. Navy to The Black Vault, include a heavily redacted slide deck which provides a glimpse into that briefing.

Previously released documents confirm that International Space Station (ISS) Program Manager, Joel Montalbano; Director of the Export Control and Interagency Liaison Division, Margaret Kieffer; Former Associate Administrator for Legislative Affairs, Suzanne Gillen; and Former Acting Associate Administrator for the Office of International and Interagency Relations, Mike Gold; all attended the briefing.

While much of the material from that briefing remains classified, several important details can be discerned from the slides that were included in the release.

One of the main points of interest is the extensive redaction throughout the slide deck, particularly in sections that discuss photographic evidence of UAPs. Photographs were included, but nearly all of them remain classified, with the exception of one image.

Another notable section discusses the use of multiple sensors in detecting UAPs. According to the slide, the UAPTF employs a combination of technologies and reporting from operators to track and analyze UAPs. This multi-sensor approach is essential for corroborating sightings and gathering reliable data, which is then shared with other U.S. government partners for further analysis.

One of the slides also focuses on the November 14, 2004, “Tic Tac” incident involving the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11). The briefing describes the object as a “solid white, smooth” craft without any visible wings or pylons, measuring approximately 46 feet in length. Despite the event being validated by debriefs from aircrew and other personnel, the report notes that there was limited data available to conduct a thorough technical analysis at the time.

A slide titled “Potential Explanations” presents three possible explanations for UAPs, but two of these have been redacted. The only explanation visible suggests that some UAP sightings could be attributed to “unknown weather or other natural phenomena.” The redaction of the other two possibilities leaves their nature unclear.

As seen in the screenshots above, and the full document release below, the documents contain extensive redactions under two primary Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) exemptions: Exemption (b)(1) and Exemption (b)(5).

Exemption (b)(1) is used to protect classified information that pertains to national defense or foreign policy, as established by an executive order. In this case, much of the redacted content, including UAP photographs and certain technical data, likely falls under this exemption due to its potential impact on national security.

Exemption (b)(5) covers privileged interagency or intra-agency communications that are part of the government’s deliberative process. This exemption allows the withholding of documents that reflect internal discussions, recommendations, and draft policies that are not finalized. In the context of the UAP briefing, sections regarding potential explanations for UAP sightings and internal assessments have been redacted under (b)(5), likely because they involve pre-decisional analysis or sensitive deliberations between agencies.

This release, while heavily redacted, provides a rare glimpse into the collaboration between the UAP Task Force and NASA. It highlights the efforts that were made to investigate and analyze UAP sightings during the time of the task force. The redactions, particularly in areas relating to photographic evidence and potential explanations, reflect the sensitive nature of the information involved.

As more documents become available, The Black Vault will continue to publish and highlight those revelations.

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Heavily Redacted UAP Briefing Between UAP Task Force and NASA Released [16 Pages, 2.3MB]

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The post Heavily Redacted UAP Briefing Between UAP Task Force and NASA Released first appeared on The Black Vault.

NOAA’s initial response indicated that no records were found directly responsive to the FOIA request. Despite this, NOAA took an unusual step by providing previously released correspondence involving AARO and the UAPTF, demonstrating a rare level of agency cooperation with FOIA requesters. In their response letter, NOAA stated, “After searching our files, we were unable to locate records that are responsive to your request. However, we do have previously released records containing correspondence associated with AARO and/or Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF). You can have access to them, and they are attached for convenience.”

It is unclear who the past FOIA requester was that received these, or if the records have ever been published before.

The attached records offer a window into NOAA’s interactions with military and intelligence agencies on matters related to UAP. One of the documents includes an invitation for AARO personnel to visit NOAA’s Sterling Field Support Center. This visit was part of broader interagency efforts to coordinate on the complexities of UAP sightings.

Other correspondence revealed NOAA’s meetings with Navy officials during the days of the UAP Task Force, highlighting the agency’s long-standing role in supporting UAP investigations.

One of the more revealing elements of the release was NOAA’s internal concern over the impact of amateur balloon launches on UAP data. An email from January 24, 2022, addressed the issue of “sky trash,” a term used by NOAA officials to describe the increasing clutter in the sky caused by various amateur balloon activities. “Although STEM is a very valuable initiative, this effort is probably causing some air clutter. Sky trash is becoming a problem and probably needs to be monitored somehow,” one email stated. This correspondence highlights how balloon launches, often intended for educational or amateur purposes, can complicate efforts to identify and study unexplained aerial phenomena.

The documents also detailed the challenges NOAA faced in verifying balloon data in relation to UAP events. In a series of emails, NOAA personnel discussed the difficulties of confirming whether NOAA weather balloons were present in areas reported to have UAP sightings. One email noted, “We have an upcoming meeting (May 3rd) with the Navy regarding the Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon Task Force where the Navy will likely ask us to help check 200 lat/lon points to verify that an NWS weather balloon was or was not in the area.”

Throughout the correspondence, NOAA’s emphasis on interagency collaboration was clear. The agency’s willingness to host meetings, share data, and engage with military and intelligence personnel shows NOAA’s proactive role in the broader effort to understand UAP.

The release of these documents, although not directly responsive to the initial FOIA request, provides a detailed glimpse into NOAA’s involvement with UAP investigations.

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NOAA Releases UAP-Related Correspondence [166 Pages, 16MB]

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The post NOAA Releases UAP-Related Correspondence first appeared on The Black Vault.

In 2022, AARO contracted Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to conduct a thorough investigation into the specimen’s origins and properties. According to AARO’s summary on their website, “In 2022, The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) contracted with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to conduct materials testing on a magnesium (Mg) alloy specimen. This specimen has been publicly alleged to be a component recovered from a crashed extraterrestrial vehicle in 1947, and purportedly exhibits extraordinary properties, such as functioning as a terahertz waveguide to generate antigravity capabilities. In April 2024, ORNL produced a summary of findings documenting the laboratory’s methodology to assess this specimen’s elemental and structural characteristics.”

ORNL’s investigation involved a series of advanced tests, including isotopic ratio measurements, elemental composition analysis, and structural characterization using microscopy and spectrometry techniques. The findings, as documented in the reports, indicate that the specimen is of terrestrial origin, according to ORNL. The isotopic composition of the magnesium and lead in the specimen falls within the expected values for terrestrial materials, suggesting that it is not extraterrestrial.

“ORNL assessed this specimen to be terrestrial in origin and that it does not meet the theoretical requirements to function as a terahertz (THz) waveguide,” the AARO report states. The analysis revealed that the bismuth layers within the specimen were intermixed with lead, which precludes the possibility of it functioning as a waveguide. The report further explains that “this specimen’s elemental and structural characteristics do not meet the conditions to theoretically function as a waveguide.”

The historical context provided by AARO adds another layer to their analysis. The characteristics of the specimen are consistent with mid-20th-century magnesium alloy research and development projects, which often involved the use of zinc, lead, and bismuth additives for various purposes, including corrosion resistance. The banding and structural features observed in the specimen align with manufacturing techniques from that era, such as vapor deposition.

Despite the conclusive findings, the reports acknowledge the specimen’s long and debated history. While the analysis strongly supports a terrestrial origin, the exact historical origin and purpose of the specimen remain unclear due to its undocumented chain of custody and conflicting personal accounts. AARO’s summary notes that “the specimen’s delamination, oxidation, and structural characteristics are consistent with exposure to environmental and mechanical stresses over time.”

The reports, released by AARO, are now available for download from The Black Vault below.

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Synopsis: Analysis of a Metallic Specimen [10 Pages, 10MB]

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Synopsis: Analysis of a Metallic Specimen [4 Pages, 0.4MB]

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The post AARO Releases Findings on Suspected Extraterrestrial Alloy first appeared on The Black Vault.

According to the DoD/IG report, the Air Force has designated UAP as a “Special Interest Item,” requiring aircrews to document and report UAP observations within 24 hours of mission completion using the Marauder system. The Army also utilizes Marauder for similar purposes, due to the lack of DoD-wide UAP-specific processes.

The Marauder system is an advanced mission reporting tool used by the Air Force, Space Force, and select Joint Force partners. Integrated into the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet), Marauder facilitates the secure drafting, quality control, approval, and publication of mission reports. Although not mentioned in the DoD/IGs report, it seems likely that the Space Force, and select Joint Force partners, would also use the Marauder system for UAP reporting.

Marauder’s capabilities include:

• Drafting detailed mission reports (MISREPs)
• Quality control and approval pipelines to ensure report accuracy
• Global access to published reports
• Export functionality for in-depth analysis

The system supports multiple domains—air, space, and ground. The air domain, Marauder’s most utilized, handles reports for missions flown under the Air Tasking Order. The space domain focuses on tracking satellites and space assets, while the ground domain deals with ground operations and intelligence collection.

Marauder employs a structured workflow, assigning users specific roles such as Viewer, Drafter, Reviewer, and Approver, each with distinct privileges. Reports progress from draft through quality control to approval and publication, ensuring reliability and precision.

One of Marauder’s unique features is its handling of Agile Combat Employment Reports (ACEREPs), which streamline reporting in high-tempo, resource-constrained environments by bypassing traditional quality control and approval steps.

The document obtained also highlights ongoing updates to Marauder, reflecting the system’s continuous evolution to meet the dynamic needs of military operations. This is facilitated by initiatives like Kessel Run, which revolutionizes software development and delivery for the Air Force.

The Marauder system exemplifies the modern military’s reliance on advanced technology for mission reporting and intelligence gathering. Its critical role in UAP reporting and various military operations underscores its importance in maintaining national security and operational efficiency.

Additional FOIA requests have been filed to uncover, specifically, how Marauder catalogs UAP related events within this sytem. That information, if or when it is released, will be published on The Black Vault.

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Marauder Mission Reporting User Guide, Version 2.43, Updated February 2024 [17 Pages, 2.5MB]

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The post Marauder System’s Role in UAP Reporting and Military Operations first appeared on The Black Vault.

This meeting, which is highlighted in documents released by the Department of Defense (DoD), represents an important step in international cooperation when it comes to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) research.

The document, which consists of an email outlining the agenda for the meeting, shows participation from key representatives of several prominent agencies, which include the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), NASA, and the FVEY partners focusing on UAP research.

According to the email, “The meeting aims to foster a collaborative environment where FVEY partners can share insights and data on UAP phenomena.”

The meeting commenced with opening remarks from Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, then the Director of AARO who resigned towards the end of 2023.

Representatives from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand also provided updates on their respective UAP research efforts.

“Updates from each partner emphasize the collective effort to understand and address UAP sightings and reports, underscoring the need for a unified approach,” the agenda outlined.

The meeting concluded with discussions on establishing a collaborative framework for ongoing research and regular meetings. The goal, as stated in the document, is to ensure “continuous sharing of information and findings among the FVEY partners.”

This FOIA release not only highlights the significance of international cooperation in UAP research but also underscores the dedication of the Five Eyes alliance to attempt to solve the mysteries surrounding UAPs. Lavac’s FOIA request has brought these critical details to light, providing a clearer picture of the global efforts in understanding and addressing UAPs.

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FOIA Case 23-F-1049 Document Release [4 Pages, 1.29MB]

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The post FOIA Release Sheds Light on Five Eyes Alliance UAP Research Collaboration first appeared on The Black Vault.

Forced perspective and parallax are two optical illusions that can influence the accuracy of UAP reports reviewed by AARO.

Read here for an overview of these illusions and their impact on observers’ perceptions of unknown objects: https://t.co/gya66BLn3H

— All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (@DoD_AARO) May 8, 2024

The paper begins by acknowledging that no single explanation can account for all UAP reports, but it emphasizes that forced perspective and parallax often play a role. According to AARO, “the effects of forced perspective and parallax can frequently explain excessively large sizes or high speeds described in UAP reports.” Observers situated at a distance from the object they are viewing may struggle to gauge its accurate size and speed.

The paper explains forced perspective as a visual phenomenon that causes objects to appear different in size depending on their position relative to a reference point. The technique is familiar to many who have posed for photos where they appear to hold the Eiffel Tower or Leaning Tower of Pisa. In such cases, the distance between the camera and the objects can distort perceived sizes. AARO provides a practical illustration in their paper, emphasizing, “Forced perspective can cause large, faraway objects to appear smaller and closer than their actual size and position – or vice versa.”

Parallax is another visual phenomenon that can mislead observers. It refers to the apparent shift in an object’s position when viewed from different angles. When viewed from a moving vantage point, a stationary object may seem to move. As the paper elaborates, “Parallax effects cause the object to be ‘projected’ against three different points in the background… This projection illusion creates a perception of motion as the object appears to move across the river in the opposite direction of the observer.”

AARO explains how this effect can also be experienced through electronic sensors mounted on airborne platforms. When these sensors move quickly relative to a stationary object, the parallax view can make it appear as though the object is in motion. The faster the airborne observer travels, the more exaggerated the effect becomes.

AARO acknowledges that not all UAP observations are attributable to these phenomena, but highlights that, in many cases, forced perspective and parallax effects can lead to “inaccurate estimations of a UAP’s size, speed, and direction of travel.” Despite these optical challenges, single-observer UAP reports remain invaluable, as they often supplement additional sensor data and provide context for identifying and analyzing anomalies.

Ultimately, AARO’s information paper encourages UAP reporters to describe their observations in detail, noting that understanding these optical effects can aid them in making more accurate estimates of a UAP’s characteristics​​.

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The post AARO Explores Forced Perspective and Parallax in New UAP Analysis Paper first appeared on The Black Vault.

• The Department of Defense released another ‘Briefing Card’ about the AOIMSG, a DoD effort previously studying UFOs.
• This document contains intriguing redactions under exemption (b)(5) and extra information that were absent in previous releases of the same record.
• A question in the ‘Questions and Answers’ section and an entire section under ‘Additional Background Information (Not for release)’ have been redacted, prompting questions about the content and why it’s being withheld in public affairs materials.
• The placement of the “Additional Background Information” section under a question about “extraterrestrials” prompts the questions on whether or not they are related.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has just released another “Briefing Card” pertaining to the establishment of the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG). The AOIMSG was a DoD entity dedicated to detecting and identifying unidentified objects of interest in special-use airspace.  These newly released records were released as part of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) release in case 22-F-0381.

The briefing card, possibly a “draft” version, dated December 9, 2021, carries certain intriguing redactions and extra information that were absent in previous documents released by the DoD, which were chronicled on The Black Vault just weeks ago.

Intriguingly, an entire question in the ‘Questions and Answers’ section is blotted out under exemption (b)(5). This exemption is applied to “inter- and intra- agency memoranda which are deliberative in nature,” according to the denial letter from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).

When compared to the previous release by The Black Vault, it appears the redaction was absent, however, it’s unclear if the presumed “draft” version just released holds the same question revealed last time and the redaction was placed in error.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of both releases:

Similarly, an entire section under ‘Additional Background Information (Not for Release)’ is also blanketed with exemption (b)(5), prompting questions about the nature of the redacted content, and its placement within the document itself.

The redactions, and even the entire section about “Additional Background Information” was not included in the May 16, 2023, release to The Black Vault, nor was any information referenced in the denial letter as being entirely withheld.

It should also be noted that the “Additional Background Information” material follows one of the more intriguing sections of the public affairs “briefing card” document; the question about extraterrestrials.

“Has the Department found any evidence of extraterrestrial technology?”, the question reads. The answer set for the public states, “The examinations into incursions by UAPs are still ongoing; we lack sufficient information in our dataset to attribute incidents to specific explanations. It is not the purpose of the AOIMSG to look for evidence of extraterrestrials. Other parts of the government do that; for example, NASA looks for evidence of life on other planets.”

What follows is the information exempted from release under the “Additional Background Information” header, but it is unknown if that information relates to the question about extraterrestrials, or if it entirely unrelated.

The redactions raise eyebrows and quite rightfully so. These are Public Affairs records, and their purpose is to chronicle information meant for the public, not to document information to withhold from the public.

There’s a growing public interest in the potential implications of UAP/UFOs on national security and aviation safety. In the spirit of democratic transparency and the need to build public trust, full disclosure of such information is paramount.

Furthermore, the case for transparency is especially strong given the current climate surrounding UFOs/UAPs. With sightings continuing to be reported by military personnel and the establishment of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) which replaced the AOIMSG, it’s clear that this topic is not fading into the background.

In response to these questionable redactions, an appeal has been filed by The Black Vault.  During the course of that case, the DoD will  reassess the redactions, consider the immense public interest, and hopefully take a step toward greater transparency on this important subject.

As the saga continues to unfold, it’s crucial that we remember the public’s right to be informed, especially on a topic that has captured the world’s attention. As we seek answers to the questions surrounding UAP/UFOs, it’s clear that the fight for transparency is far from over.

UPDATE: On April 3, 2024, the appeal was finalized and the document was released, with the pertinent redactions lifted. That release is also available below.

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FOIA Case 22-F-0381 Release

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FOIA Appeal 22-A-0381-A

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The post DoD Releases Another AOIMSG Briefing Card: Questions Raised Over Redactions (UPDATED) first appeared on The Black Vault.

The FOIA response, dated March 15, 2024, revealed that the Joint Staff conducted a search and located nine pages determined to be responsive to Johnson’s request. These documents pertain to  guidance issued on May 19, 2023, which outlines procedures for reporting and handling material related to UAPs.

On X, Johnson wrote a few “quick observations” about the document released, and highlights some key areas worth noting. With permission, that post written is republished here:

On May 19, 2023, the Joint Staff (J3, Operations; J36 Homeland Defense Division) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff disseminated to all unified military commands worldwide a set of uniform procedures to be followed for gathering data and reporting on contemporary military encounters with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), using a detailed standard reporting template.

I have now obtained a copy of that Pentagon message. I believe that its detailed contents are being made public here for the first time (if the GENADMIN message has previously been published, that publication has not come to my attention).

The message was designated as “GENADMIN Joint Staff J3 Washington DC 191452ZMAY23 Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Reporting and Material Disposition.” It was disseminated as “Controlled Unclassified Information,” or “CUI.”

Journalist Brandi Vincent (@BrandiVincent_) referred in passing to the existence of this message in a DefenseScoop article dated August 30, 2023 (“Hicks takes direct oversight of Pentagon’s UAP office; new reporting website to be launched”). I promptly asked Pentagon press officer Susan Gough to release a copy to me, but Gough replied, “I cannot provide a copy of the message to you, as it contains information that’s not publicly releasable.”

On August 31, 2023, I filed a FOIA request for the GENADMIN message. The Department of Defense Freedom of Information Division has now released the 9-page document to me (response letter dated March 15, 2024, received by me on March 18), with only minimal redactions. After redacting my personal information, I am now making the complete FOIA release available at the link below. (The image merely shows the first page of the document; click on the link to download the complete PDF.)

INITIAL OBSERVATIONS

Among the noteworthy aspects I see in the May 2023 Joint Staff communication:

— An introductory paragraph states: “The U.S. government has observed UAP in or near the territory and/or operating areas of the United States, of its allies, and of its adversaries, and observing, identifying, and potentially mitigating UAP has become a growing priority for US policymakers, lawmakers, and warfighters. The potentially ubiquitous presence of UAP defines the national security implications of those anomalies, which range from operational hazards and threats to technological and intelligence surprise to adversaries’ strategic miscalculations. It is imperative that DoD provide UAP incident, incursion, and engagement…reporting, data, and material for the Department’s detection and mitigation of potential threats; exploitation of advanced technologies; and informing policymaker and warfighter decisions.”

–Reports on UAP incidents are to be transmitted upwards with 96 hours, but any “UAP engagement reports” within 12 hours. A “UAP engagement is a kinetic or non-kinetic response to a UAP, intended to deny, disrupt, or destroy the phenomenon and/or its object(s).”

— The ultimate nexus of collection and analysis of these reports is the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO).

— The reporting procedures in the Joint Staff message apply only to detections or encounters “that demonstrate behaviors not readily understood by sensors or observers…[that]include but are not limited to phenomena that demonstrate apparent capabilities or material that exceed known performance envelopes.” The UAP reporting procedures described in this guidance do NOT apply to “incidents, incursions, and engagements by identifiable, non-anomalous phenomena (e.g., sUAS and other capabilities or materials that do not exceed known or predicted performance envelopes);” such incidents will instead “continue to be reported through established processes and mechanisms.”

— The reporting matrix seeks 11 categories of information– among these, any UAP-displayed “anomalous characteristics/behaviors (e.g., no apparent control surfaces, extreme acceleration/direction change, detection by certain sensors but not others),” and any “UAP effects on equipment (e.g., mechanical, electrical controls and weapons systems and whether persistent or transitory”).

— AARO will coordinate the handling of any UAP “objects and material of incidents, intrusions, and engagements,” but “recovery and transfer of identifiable, non-anomalous items of foreign origin…continue to be managed by the DoD FMP [Foreign Material Program].”

— The military commands are to “enable deployment of special sensors within the AoR [area of responsibility]for the detection, observation, and identification in sensitive areas, and during testing or deployment of special capabilities.”

ADDITIONAL CONTEXT

On its website, AARO calls the military reporting system defined in the May 2023 GENADMIN “Current Operational UAP Reporting.” In a briefing for selected journalists on March 6, 2024, AARO Acting Director Tim Phillips said that AARO is receiving “approximately…anywhere between 90 and a 100-110 a month” through such channels.

Phillips also told the journalists, “We’re trying to work out the command and control, the mechanisms on how other government entities can report UAP incidents to us. We’ve received a number of reports from Department of Homeland Security and their aircraft reporting to us that we follow up on.”

As for civilian pilots, the AARO website states, “AARO receives UAP-related Pilot Reports (PIREPs) from the Federal Aviation Administration.”

The UAP reporting system for contemporary military-associated UAP events, as set forth in the May 2023 Joint Staff message, is separate and distinct from the AARO “secure reporting” system for receiving reports “from current or former U.S. Government employees, service members, or contractor personnel with direct knowledge of U.S. Government programs or activities related to UAP dating back to 1945,” which is accessible through a portal on the AARO website.

AARO does not yet employ any system for receiving UAP observation reports from the general public.

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UAP Reporting and Material Disposition Reporting Procedures Released [13 Pages, 5.2MB]

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The post UAP Reporting and Material Disposition Procedures Released first appeared on The Black Vault.

The Black Vault attempted to get a CIA document that has been shrouded in secrecy for decades further declassified. Although no redactions were lifted in the process, it revealed that even more information by the CIA is withheld on a UFO case that suggests a technology beyond known human capability at the time.

Originally disclosed in 1978, the “Information Report” originally classified “Confidential” has a subject header of “Unusual Flying Object Sightings and Attendant Scientific Activity”. It had multiple, but relatively minimal, redactions when the single page was originally released. In January 2020, The Black Vault filed a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) case, seeking to uncover more details and get those redactions lifted.

The document, identified as REPORT NO. 00-B-93674, details an intriguing account from a source in Hungary, who in the winter of 1955 received a letter mentioning the mysterious “flying saucers”. These objects, described as “very fast speeding flyers,” were estimated to be traveling at a speed of “12,000 kilometers per hour,” or in excess of 7,400 miles per hour.

Although the MDR was unsuccessful getting any previous redactions lifted, the case did reveal that there was more information than previously known. It brought to light the existence of two additional pages, and those were redacted in full. The deletions were made on the basis of Sections 3.3(h)(2) and 6.2(d) of Executive Order 13526. Section 3.3(h)(2) of Executive Order 13526 establishes procedures for the automatic declassification of information that is more than 25 years old, unless it falls under specific exemptions outlined in the order. Section 6.2(d) concerns the protection of information that, if disclosed, could reasonably be expected to cause identifiable or describable damage to national security or foreign relations. It allows for the continued classification of such information to prevent harm to the national security interests of the United States.

The revelation of these additional pages adds a new layer of mystery to the case. It raises questions about what further information might be contained within and why it is deemed so sensitive that it warrants complete redaction.

To put the reported speed of the flying objects into perspective, it is worth noting that the fastest aircraft in the world in November 1955 was the North American F-100C Super Sabre, which set a record on August 20, 1955, of 1,323 kilometers per hour, or 822.1 miles per hour.

The speed of 12,000 kilometers per hour (7,400+ miles per hour) mentioned in the CIA record far exceeds that, suggesting that the flying objects were of an extraordinary nature for the time they were seen. However, maybe they were not aircraft at all.

The CIA document did mention “rockets”, but it is unclear if the parenthetical was an attempt at an alternate translation by a CIA analyst, or if the word was truly relayed by the CIA’s source. However, to address the possibility these objects were, in fact, rockets; historical context is needed.

In 1955, the race for supremacy in rocket technology was in full swing, with both the United States and the Soviet Union pushing the boundaries of what was possible. While the exact speeds of rockets at that time are not well-documented, it is known that the era was marked by significant advancements in rocket propulsion and aerodynamics. The V-2 rocket, developed by Germany during World War II and later used by both the US and the USSR for research, could reach speeds of up to 5,760 km/hr or 3,580 MPH. However, it was the development of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and the early space race that truly pushed rocket speeds to new heights. By the end of the 1950s, rockets were capable of reaching speeds that far exceeded those of any aircraft, laying the groundwork for the exploration of space and the eventual moon landing. While the reported speed of 12,000 kilometers per hour (approximately 7,456 miles per hour) for the unidentified flying objects in the CIA document was extraordinary for its time, it foreshadowed the incredible velocities that rockets would achieve in the years to come.

But is there a connection? The Redstone rocket, believed to be one of the faster rockets around the same time, still fell thousands of miles per hour short of the speed mentioned in the CIA document.

Was the source and information available in the report wrong or grossly exaggerated? If so, why is there a need for such excessive secrecy nearly 70 years after the event?

The MDR case was completed and the document released in January 2022, though was never posted on The Black Vault. It is one example of, literally, hundreds and hundreds of FOIA releases that have yet to be put online by The Black Vault simply due to a backlog and lack of time.

Since two years have no elapsed, a new MDR was filed by The Black Vault on March 12, 2024. Those results will be posted, when available.

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CIA Document Talks About “Flying Saucers” Traveling 7,400+MPH in 1955; More Information Discovered Yet Withheld By Agency [4 Pages, 1.2MB]

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The post CIA Document Talks About “Flying Saucers” Traveling 7,400+MPH in 1955; More Information Discovered Yet Withheld By Agency first appeared on The Black Vault.

The following is an official DoD transcript of the private/invite-only press briefing held with Acting AARO Director Tim Phillips on March 6, 2024. This was an invite-only briefing, and in-person, and multiple news outlets that cover this topic were either denied to listen-in, or not invited all together.

With the publishing of this transcript, we now get an idea about who was invited and who was there. But, contrary to past briefings where various people were invited to, at the very least, listen in, why was that not the case here?

—

STAFF:  Good afternoon. Thank you all for coming. We are here today to hear from Mr. Tim Phillips, who is the Acting Director of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, on the first volume of the historical record report that was directed by the Congress in the fiscal year ’23 NDAA.

Now, I will do — I will be moderating and calling on you, so please raise your hand. Remember that this is Mr. Phillips’ first engagement with — with any of you, so he does not know you. So when I call on you, I ask you to please identify, at least the first time, identify your name and the outlet that you are with.

Initially, you get one question and one follow up. There’s only about seven of you here, so we should have plenty of time to circle back around again on additional questions, all right?

With that, I will turn it over to Mr. Phillips.

ACTING DIRECTOR TIMOTHY A. PHILLIPS:  Well, thank you very much. And good afternoon. It’s a privilege to be here today, discuss the findings of AARO’s Historical Record Report Volume one, which reviews the history of the United States government pertaining to unidentified anomalous phenomena.

Our report is the result of dozens of interviews, archival research, and rigorous fact checking across the government and industry. The goal of this report is not to prove or disprove any particular beliefs. AARO approached its research with objectivity, rigor, without any preconceptions about what we would find. Only a commitment to following the facts wherever they would lead.

Here are some of our findings. AARO has found no verifiable evidence that any UAP sighting has represented extraterrestrial activity. AARO has found no verifiable evidence that the U.S. government or private industry has ever had access to extraterrestrial technology. AARO has found no indications that any information was illegally or inappropriately withheld from Congress. AARO assesses that alleged hidden UAP programs either do not exist or were misidentified authentic national security programs unrelated to extraterrestrial technology exploitation.

We assess that claims of such hidden programs are largely the result of circular reporting in which a small group of individuals have repeated inaccurate claims they have heard from others over a period of several decades. I wish to emphasize that we believe most of the individuals repeated these claims to do so without malice or any effort to mislead the public.

Many have sincerely misinterpreted real events or mistaken sensitive U.S. programs for which they were not cleared as having been related to UAP or extraterrestrial exploitation. In completing this report, AARO faced no impediments to receiving UAP-related information at any level of classification. There’s a few things that we did discover. Several authentic current or former programs that were never acquired UAP technology that were all properly reported to Congress. A piece of material alleged to be from a crashed extraterrestrial craft that was analyzed and confirmed to be man-made with no unusual properties.

An authentic program unrelated to UAP that was unnecessarily amended to include reverse engineering and UAP language. The amended program never received any actual UAP information or material. A prospective program called Kona Blue that was proposed to protect research related to extraterrestrial technology. The prospective program was never formally approved by leadership and never possessed any material or information. AARO assesses that the majority of historical UAP sightings result from the misidentification of ordinary objects or phenomena. Some are likely the misidentification of new or experimental technologies.

We are grateful to the dozens of people who provided AARO with information, leads, and shared their personal accounts. We continue to welcome any former or current government employee or contractor who believes they have information relevant to our historical review to contact us at aaro.mil. I want to emphasize that AARO’s historical work is not over. The department will submit an historical record report, Volume II. It will incorporate any relevant information acquired since 1 November 2023.

AARO is pursuing existing leads and should we find anything that updates our current findings, we will share the information promptly with Congress and provide as much detail to the American public as possible. As we have said many times before, we will follow the evidence where it leads, wherever it leads. With that, I’m happy to take your questions.

STAFF:  Brandi?

Q:  Thanks, Sue. Hi, I’m Brandi Vincent with DefenseScoop. Nice to meet you and thanks for doing this. I have one question and one follow up.

So to start, have you noticed a ramp-up more recently that your team assesses is related to the latest boom in U.S. and others experimentation with emerging and next generation technologies? Specifically, there’s also been multiple reports on multi-domain — AARO — and shapeshifting craft. Have you resolved any of those reports? And what emerging tech field would those be aligned with?

MR. PHILLIPS:  Okay, there’s a compound question there. We — we do see an increase in resolved cases where we identified UAS technology. So we’re starting to see more UASs out there being reported through operational channels. The fact that we know they’re exists and we can adjust our sensors to detect them and identify them more rapidly. We’re seeing an increase and that’s single-digit increases.

In the last month, we closed about 122 cases that was reported to AARO. 68% of those cases we assess to be some form of what I call aero garbage, balloons, trash that’s up there in the atmosphere at — that are advanced sensors, we’re able to detect. And then since it was unknown, it was reported to us as a UAP. And we had to research the cases. As far as other advanced technologies, there’s been some cases, but we can’t discuss that here.

Q:  Because of operational security?

MR. PHILLIPS:  Yes.

Q:  And then my follow up is the report notes that on top of hoaxes and forgeries, mis- and disinformation is more prevalent and easier to generate and disseminate than ever before. In the process of this sort of assessment, did AARO see any indications that one or more than one foreign adversaries were trying to sow distrust in the American public online on the UAP topic? If so, who and how much of that is a concern for you right now, particularly in an election year?

MR. PHILLIPS:  OK. I’m an Intel officer, I can’t comment on, you know, politics or election year. What we’re trying to do is increase domain awareness. We just can’t afford to have an unidentified object, a UAP, operating in proximity to our operational forces, our military forces, or our critical infrastructure. The world is too dangerous of a place to have that happen. And our job is to detect it, identify it, and then help the department deal with it, you know, through the appropriate, you know, means. But —

Q:  So foreign adversaries?

MR. PHILLIPS:  I’m not going to comment on that at this forum today.

Q:  Thank you.

STAFF:  Dan?

Q:  Hi, Dan Lamothe, The Washington Post. Thanks for your time today. The report pretty early in calls out a sort of pop culture being a challenge for you all on this topic. Sort of the zeitgeist, I guess, kind of — this sort of maybe just being a fun topic for a lot of people, so, you know, on and on we go. How much did it come into play as you all are thinking of policies for this, informing the American public about this, and how much do you hope this report might get after that issue?

MR. PHILLIPS:  We’re hoping that the more transparent, the more that we can declassify and post to our site is going to demystify this topic. We did see a change in the culture as we looked back, all the way back to 1945, and we actually went all the way back to the 1930s. And we saw the UFO, the UAP mythology change, and it reflected the public’s current understanding of what that unknown was.

So early on, you see them talking about moon men. When we got to the moon, we didn’t find anybody. Then we talked about Martians. We have a lot better understanding of the planets in our solar system. So we saw that change. The CIA had a really, really great assessment in the early ’60s.

The fact that we were operating the U-2 was a guarded secret. It flew at 60,000 feet where most of the aviation at that time was around 20,000. So people were seeing glints. They were seeing something operating. And a lot that we saw, they attributed the U-2 as to be the basis of a lot of, back then, UFO cases being reported in the press by the public. And we kind of see that trend.

So when we started to see developmental stealth aircraft, we started seeing people seeing unusual aircraft shapes and that was attributed by them, probably based off the popular culture, and the movies, and the books in the UFO mythology, that — that’s what I’m seeing. You know, I saw it on TV, it must be true.

I can actually relate a story that occurred to me when I was on active duty. We were operating in the Chocolate Mountains, by — it’s out by Yuma, the big range out there, and we visually detected an aircraft. We could hear it, then we saw it. And none of us knew what it was. It was a shape none of us ever seen. There happened to be an improved I-Hawk anti-aircraft battery there. It has an optical tracker. So it’s not in visual, especially in the daylight. And it locked it up on the camera. And then later on, we were asked if we had seen and tracked anything that was unusual.

What we found much later, after it became public, that was one of the early F-117 fighter aircraft flying around on the range that we had detected with an optical system. And it was really interesting, the stealth worked because the radar didn’t pick it up. But to us, we didn’t know what that — what that was. And we just assumed the U.S. government owned it and was developed it. What we saw with many of the interviewees, the people Congress referred to us, many of them made testimony on the Hill, they came in and talked to us, they had sincere beliefs in what they observed.

And in some cases, they were lawfully present at a location in a time when a sensitive technology was being developed or tested. They witnessed something, they didn’t understand what it was, they reported it to us. And we were able to go back to the program owners and to the range and ask, by the way, what were you flying during this week? By God, I would have thought it would have been a UAP myself when I actually saw the picture of it.

So these are rational people making observations and just relating to what they know. And that’s where that popular culture comes in. I think the way that we’re going to be able to communicate with the American people, the fact that if we’re doing an investigation — I was actually asked this on the Hill yesterday, you’re investigating a UAP incident and you discover it’s an extraterrestrial. Are you going to classify that? And the answer is no. If we go to our classification guide, we don’t classify something because it’s not from this world. That’s not our job, OK?

Now, how we communicate that with the public and the administration wants to communicate that, that’s why I have experts who do strat-comm for us. But the fact that we don’t understand something, it’s not necessarily classified. I hope that answers your question.

Q:  Thank you.

STAFF:  Oren?

Q:  Oren Liebermann from CNN. I just want to follow up on one of the answers you told Brandi. You said 122 cases were closed last month. What is the total number of cases you’ve received? And can you give us a sense of the rate that you are receiving cases and closing cases at this point?

MR. PHILLIPS:  I would say that it’s over 1,200 cases that have been reported to us. So we worked with the Joint Staff. And we have an operating reporting requirement to the services and combatant commands. If they have a UAP incident, and that’s defined in the GENADMIN message, what that is, they report back through operational channels to us.

So we’ve had about 1,200 cases that we’ve looked at. We approximately receive anywhere between 90 and a 100-110 a month*1 from the operating forces. And you’ll see in our reporting, there’s a real bias to the Department of Defense because they’re out there flying. They tend to have the advanced sensors. And if you’re clearing a range before you go hot, if you’re looking for something, you might find it. We’re starting to see an increase in civil aviation sightings, you know, from — through the FAA and through NASA. We’re starting to get few or more cases in, and you’ll see that reflected in our heat map on our website. You’ll see, with the bright red, that tends to reflect where DOD is operating, where they have those detections.

I would say that we — we probably, on average, around 100 cases a month*1 we are clearing. And the ones that we can declassify, we’ll publish to our website or we’ll report back through official channels to the services and the organizations that reported those contacts.

Q:  Just a quick follow up. Can you give us an update on the — the submission, the creation of a submission process for UAP reports? It was originally opened up for service members and — and government employees, but there was an effort to try to open it up wider than that, and eventually get a reporting process for the public, which was supposed to be in the works.

MR. PHILLIPS:  That was a Phase 3 we’re still in. We had the first phase, which was the secure reporting portal for those that had knowledge of the U.S. government — or working on advanced UAP technology that was not revealed to Congress. We’re into, I would call, a Phase 2 right now, where we’re trying to work out the command and control, the mechanisms on how other government entities can report UAP incidents to us.

We’ve received a number of reports from Department of Homeland Security and their aircraft reporting to us that we follow up on. So we’re working within the government. And we’re looking at how can we do it at scale, what is the appropriate way in the future to be able to communicate with the public these incidents.

So it’s — it’s on our, you know, our tasking. We just haven’t got to it yet. And AARO’s been around for about 18 months. And we just achieved initial operating capability, I would say, in October*2 of last year is when we actually were able to bring the staff on and start develop some of the sensors and the capabilities, the flyaway kits, so we could respond quickly when there’s a UAP incident.

STAFF:  Todd.

Q:  Sir, I think AARO, all-domain is included in the name. To what extent are there anomalous phenomenon that are not in the air, but somewhere else?

MR. PHILLIPS:  You’re absolutely correct because the vast majority of the reporting tends to be in the atmosphere because that’s where we’re operating. We’ve received one report in the maritime domain. And we’ve received no reports in space. However, we do have working groups in space and in the maritime. And what we’re trying to do is define what is a UAP incident and how that will be reported.

So there’s some policy issues we need to work out. For example, there’s a UAP in space, we’ve detected something we don’t understand. A lot of times as orbits, you know, decay, they enter the atmosphere. Now, we’ve got a track management issue. So who’s going to take it from the space domain into the atmosphere? And then if it continues and go into the ocean, now, we have three different domains that we have to work with on how we maintain that (inaudible) and who is responsible for the reporting and then investigation of that act?

I would love to tell you, we’d be more mature in space. I was amazed at the ability of the community of interest to be able to understand their domain. And what we found is, the more data that any domain has, the deeper understanding of these unknown phenomena that exist. So when we did talk to our partners who work in the space domain, they had very few things that they didn’t understand in space.

STAFF:  OK. Jeff.

Q:  Jeff Schogol, Task and Purpose. Did you find any evidence that adversaries like Russia or China had made breakthroughs in technologies, or in hypersonics, and this was being reported as UAPs? Or that they were surrounding American ships and planes with balloons, drones, other common technology to observe U.S. military operations?

MR. PHILLIPS:  I can discuss that AARO assisted in helping identify the high-altitude balloon that came from China.*3 We were involved in that case, but I can’t speak on any of the rest of that question.

Q:  About whether you found any evidence that the Russians, Chinese, etcetera?

MR. PHILLIPS:  Yes.

Q:  And follow up question.  There are people who sincerely believe that the government has alien bodies, alien crafts, you know, that — that they have communicated with — with extraterrestrials. What can you tell them to try to bring some sort of resolution to this?

MR. PHILLIPS:  I can tell them that AARO, as designed by Congress, had unprecedented access to classified programs. Nobody blocked where we could go or the questions we asked. Nobody in the government influenced the findings in the report. As a career Intel officer, I am just amazed at the access we had to some of our nation’s most sensitive programs.

Nobody said no. There — there was a challenge because some of these allegations that we received, passed to us by Congress or we had in our interviews. People were commenting on things they saw or they heard second-hand from 20, 30 years ago. And as we would go back and try to do an investigation, most of the individuals with first-hand knowledge are now retired.

And I’ll tell you what we did. If we received a claim, that was the beginning of the investigation. Now, we’re going to look up for — and we’re going to try to find other collaborating evidence to support that claim. And in many cases, what we saw was circular reporting. We saw a small group of people who knew each other, who all cited their observations as the purpose for their beliefs or for their observations.

There was one program that was repeated, Kona Blue. It’s in the report. And that was reported as that’s where they hide the bodies. That wasn’t true. We worked very, very closely with our DHS partners and that just was not true.

Wherever there was a claim, as I had said, you know, previously, it could be an IC agency, it could be another department, it could be in a dusty archive, in DOD. We had access to it. NARA was wonderful as far as giving us access for all the SAPs and CAPs programs out there.*4 There is an archive. And a lot of this is not digitized. It’s a lot of, you know, old school library work where you’re going through boxes and boxes, or microfiche trying to explore.

But the claim was the first step, if we just went — we followed every lead we could find to run these to ground. And we had a, you know, two approaches. We had career law enforcement officers who are on our staff. They’re DOD law enforcement people who are know how to conduct investigations. And then we have IC officials that follow analytical tradecraft standards who have conducted field interrogations. Very proficient. And we did everything we could to examine these claims. And we found no actual UFO materials in any allegation or incident that was reported to us that we — or that was given to us by Congress.

STAFF:  OK. Luis.

Q:  Hi. Thank you so much for doing this. I’m Luis Martinez with ABC News. And I just have a ton of questions, so if you could bear with me.

STAFF:  You get one and a follow up and then we —

Q:  Yes, let me just —

STAFF:  — we still have somebody that hasn’t had their question.

Q:  Yes. I’ll try to get the first one in. When you talk about it in the report, the numbered persons and the numbered individuals that were interviewed, there have been two high-profile individuals over the last couple of years, Luis Elizondo and David Grusch. Were they interviewed for this? I know probably for privacy, you can’t tell us, but can you tell us whether they were a part for the overall look at this?

MR. PHILLIPS:  As a practice, we do not disclose who came in and spoke to us. The individuals are free to share that with you, but I’m not going to talk about who we interviewed. But anybody with knowledge of UAPs or the government covert attempt to reverse engineer or to exploit these materials, we would love to talk to them. So, aaro.mil, you go online. I’d give my phone numbers, but I’ve been told I can’t do that, but contact us. We want to talk to you. And I will tell you, you know, I’m a guy from Tucson, Arizona, and we treat people — we are government civil servants. We treat the citizens that come in with respect. We listen to their stories.

And if we can prove what they’re telling us, we’ll do everything we can to do so. You know, we don’t have barriers. We aren’t biased. We’ll let the evidence take us where it takes us.

Q:  So that will be my follow up. You kind of touched on this earlier in giving us the process of how wide of a scope this was. Is it safe to characterize this as the most comprehensive U.S. government effort yet to look at this? And how can you — can you explain how you were able to do that in such a short time span? And can you give us an idea of how many people were employed to do this? Or were you relying on these agencies, for example, the CIA, to come up with their own determinations, then you would review their work?

MR. PHILLIPS:  All of the above. So I don’t think there’s ever been a government organization with the authorities and with the amount of funding that we receive from Congress. As the acting director, I work for the Deputy Director of Defense.*5 There’s actually been — there’s — trying to get information, we’ve actually had to solicit her personal assistance to open a door. I don’t believe any previous government attempt to research UFOs, UAPs has ever had that type of top cover.

And I will tell you that Congress members and staffers all throughout the government, they took a personal interest in it. They empowered what we did. And I am sincere when I say, and I’ve only been there since 1 October, but nobody got in our way and said no. And when we had people were slow to agree, the door was eventually opened.

STAFF:  Lee.

Q:  Lee Hudson, Politico. So what has your initial response been from Capitol Hill from lawmakers and staff? And are you hoping that this report, once it’s made public, will quell conspiracy theories?

MR. PHILLIPS:  I think the more the government can disclose and declassified the public, they can make calculated, you know, educated decisions. They’ll look at the evidence and they’ll decide. You know, we’re not here to change anybody’s beliefs. But we’ve got an amazing team that Dr. Kirkpatrick put together, just dedicated professionals from a wide spectrum of careers from scientists, you know, to agents. We just have amazing, dedicated, skilled staff that’s working hard every day.

I got to send people home at night because they’re so excited about this mission. And we just closed on an advertisement in USAJOBS. And I was told, we had over a thousand people applied. It’s going to be hard to get through that. But there’s a lot of interest, a lot of talent. And the LNOs being offered to us. So we have unsolicited — we’ve had other government agencies, military services, who’ve come to us and have put one of their officers on our staff.

And having that LNO really, really assists us as we navigate DHS*6 or NASA. It’s nice to have somebody who understands the terrain. So I can just say we’ve got great people and they’re doing wonderful work.

STAFF:  Okay. Luis, we’ve gone to everybody else. We can go back to you now.

Q:  How many people do you actually have on staff right now that were able to work in all of this? And how many were specifically dedicated to this review? And then I have a follow up.

MR. PHILLIPS:  This review was primarily, it was the — our operational directorate that was actually making the contacts, arranging for the interviews, they were involved. But then I had our analytical team who was actually looking at the statements, putting the stories together, the act of writing, by Dr. Kirkpatrick. Just probably a good 100 days of tech editing and legal review. I’ve never had so many help from so many experts on the DOD staff that help us get it right. I would say, we have the staff. And I’m a —

Q:  (Inaudible) tell us how much you (inaudible)?

MR. PHILLIPS:  I don’t want to say that here. Enough to get the job done. But half of our office is almost dedicated to doing the research and then drafting and finalizing the report. In a way, I’m really happy to get this behind us because look, I want to support the warfighter. I want to go after the cases that we received this week. That’s where I want to be. I want to have my officers out in the field, you know, talking to witnesses, trying to gather and preserve evidence, trying to work with the services and the other departments in the government on how to preserve data when there is an incident, helping to write force protection standards so I can capture this in real-time.

Doing it forensically after the fact is difficult. You know, as a marine and as an Intel officer, I want to be ahead of my opponent. And I want to capture it in real-time. And we’re working with some crazy — some amazing — I don’t want to say crazy, but amazing partners across the spectrum. I’m going to be in London next week. I’m going to be talking at a geospatial conference. And we have other people with capabilities and interests that I’m all with. I want to partner. I want to use your data and your sensors, your reporting networks to help us understand this phenomena.

Q:  So are there any — like, when you listed all the programs in the report, like, you know, the Dragon Lady and all this, and the B-2, are there any in that list that were declassified specifically for this report?

MR. PHILLIPS:  Some of the programs we worked with the department to be declassified. And hopefully, you’ll see some of that soon.

Q:  So some of these are included in this report and we’re learning for the first time? Or that’s like —

MR. PHILLIPS:  I think Kona Blue is in the unclass here. And you’ll actually see the release — the press release on that from another department, but yes.

Q:  That’s the first time it’s ever been disclosed publicly, I guess?

MR. PHILLIPS:  Yes. Well, it wasn’t declassified until we were able to work with DHS.

STAFF:  Brandi?

Q:  Just one quick follow up. And thank you again for doing this. You mentioned that you all met initial operating capability, IOC, in October.*2 When are you slated for full operational capability? And what are the things that still need to be accomplished to meet that?

MR. PHILLIPS:  Sure. We’re working with some of the government labs such as the Department of Energy labs. And we have a great partner with Georgia Tech. And what we’re doing is developing a deployable configurable sensor suite that we can put in Pelican cases.  And we’re this — we’re going to go be able to deploy it to the field to do a long-term collect.

Since the UAP target, the signature, is not clearly defined. We really have to do hyperspectral, you know, surveillance to try to capture these incidents. So we are going to declare a mission capability IOC for our GREMLIN system. That’s the name of the deployable surveillance system that we’ve been developing for the last year.*7

We’re currently at a very large range in Texas. We’ve been out there going against some known UAS targets, but some unknown targets, picking up a lot of bats and birds. We’re learning a lot about solar flaring. We’re really starting to understand what’s in orbit around our planet and how we can eliminate those as anomalous objects. So we’re going to do that and then we’re going to go to the department and say, we are ready to deploy our system in response to a national security site or a critical infrastructure with a UAP problem. We want to help solve (inaudible).

STAFF:  We’ve got time for one more question. Dan?

Q:  Thank you. Actually, I’d love to follow up for whatever detail you can provide on that deployable system. That’s fascinating. What was the vision there? And particularly, deploying it in response to something, what do you hope to learn with those deployments?

MR. PHILLIPS:  Well, if we have a national security site and there are objects being reported, okay, that within restricted airspace or within a maritime range, or in the proximity of one of our spaceships, we need to understand what that is. And so that’s why we’re developing sensor capability that we can deploy in reaction to reports.

Ideally, what we could do is actually have a minimum force protection level, have a spec. And then as we outfit these locations and these capabilities, we already have specified what type of sensors they need to be able to capture this in real-time, and then how that information would be relayed back to us and our mission partners.  We could analyze it and help them mediate whatever that particular incident is.

Q:  Can you speak to the size of that certain thing —

STAFF:  OK. Dan, yes, —

Q:  — (inaudible) a suit case or a platform or truck —

STAFF:  — Dan, we’re going to cut it off here. Thank you all very much. All right. Thanks very much, guys, for coming out.

[*1 Eds. note: The number of cases ARRO receives and resolves widely varies from month to month.]

[*2 Eds. note:  AARO achieved IOC in July 2023.]

[*3 Eds. note:  While AARO supported interagency cooperation during the February 2023 People’s Republic of China high-altitude balloon incident, that case centered on an ‘identified’ object and was not within AARO’s purview.  AARO did provide advice and support regarding the three initially unknown objects that were discovered and tracked shortly after the PRC balloon incident.]

[*4 Eds. note:  NARA assisted with archival research.  Research into SAPs and CAPs was done through the appropriate SAPCO or CAPCO offices.]

[*5 Eds. note:  The AARO director reports to the Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence.]

[*6 Eds. note:  AARO enjoys a close working relationship with DHS, but does not have a DHS liaison working within the office.] 

[*7 Eds. note:  While GREMLIN is approaching IOC, AARO is also in the early stages of developing a smaller suite of deployable sensors for rapid response to a UAP incident.]

The post Private Press Briefing Transcript with Acting AARO Director Tim Phillips on the Historical Record Report Volume 1 from March 6, 2024 first appeared on The Black Vault.

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

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The post FOIA Request Uncovers NRO and UAP Task Force Emails first appeared on The Black Vault.

The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG), led by Inspector General Robert P. Storch, has released an unclassified summary of a previously classified report titled “Evaluation of the DoD’s Actions Regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP).” This disclosure follows a full version of the classified report issued on August 15, 2023.

Inspector General Storch remarked, “Given the significant public interest in how the DoD is addressing UAPs, we are releasing this unclassified summary to be as transparent as possible with the American people about our oversight work on this important issue.”

The unclassified summary reveals that the DoD lacks a comprehensive and coordinated strategy for addressing UAPs. It is found that different components within the DoD have developed varied processes for the collection, analysis, and identification of UAP incidents. This lack of uniformity and integration poses potential risks to national security and military forces. The summary states, “the DoD’s lack of a comprehensive, coordinated approach to address UAP may pose a threat to military forces and national security.”

One significant concern highlighted in the summary is the absence of an overarching UAP policy within the DoD. This gap means that there is no assurance of identifying and mitigating potential national security and flight safety threats posed by UAPs. The DoD OIG emphasizes the need for a unified policy, as the current state lacks “assurance that national security and flight safety threats to the United States from UAP have been identified and mitigated.”

To address these shortcomings, the DoD OIG has proposed 11 total recommendations to various defense bodies, including the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, and the Director of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office. These recommendations focus on establishing a coherent policy integrating roles, responsibilities, and coordination procedures relating to UAP into the existing framework of intelligence, counterintelligence, and force protection policies.

The summary serves as a call to action for the DoD to formulate a consistent approach to UAP incidents, encompassing aspects of intelligence gathering, analysis, and policy formulation. The need for a unified response is critical in ensuring the security and safety of military operations and national interests in the face of unidentified aerial phenomena.

The unclassified summary of the report, now accessible to the public, is obviously a trimmed down version of the classified report issued last August. The Black Vault, since August 2023, has had an open case for the review and release of the report. Updates on that will be posted, when available.

Document Archive

Unclassified Summary of Report No. DODIG-2023-109, “Evaluation of the DoD’s Actions Regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena,” August 15, 2023 [16 Pages, 2.5MB]

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The post IG’s Evaluation of the DoD’s Actions Regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Finally Released first appeared on The Black Vault.

In a recent FOIA release obtained by The Black Vault, details have emerged about the communication between Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, former head of the AARO office, and Dr. Avi Loeb, a renowned Harvard Scientist and head of the Galileo Project. The release, part of The Black Vault OSD/JS FOIA Case 23-F-0010, sheds light on their interactions and shared scientific pursuits.

The released emails, dated from late 2022, focus on a range of topics including unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) in Ukraine and the discovery of interstellar meteors. Dr. Loeb, in his correspondence, discusses his analysis and papers on these subjects, offering insights into the potential implications of these phenomena for understanding extraterrestrial life and interstellar objects.

One notable aspect of their communication is the arrangement of a meeting on October 3, 2022, to discuss these matters in-depth.

Despite the detailed exchange about their first meeting and ongoing scientific interests, the FOIA release does not provide additional records of subsequent interactions beyond this initial engagement. This lack of further documentation might suggest that their continued correspondence, especially leading up to their joint scientific paper published in draft form in March 2023, occurred through private channels not subject to FOIA requests.

The paper they co-authored, available at Harvard’s website, delves into “Physical Constraints on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena”, further indicating the depth of their collaborative research efforts.

In addition to these records, the FBI has also recently released records specifically on The Galileo Project. The Galileo Project, known for its scientific pursuit of identifying and understanding UAP and interstellar objects, seems to have captured the FBI’s attention as early as 2021. The FBI file, released to The Black Vault under case 1616197-000 (though credit to writer Jack Brewer who first discovered the file in early January), includes details that highlight the agency’s curiosity or concerns about the project’s research and discoveries.

The release consists of only 4 pages of records, but an additional 23 pages were fully withheld. The content of these documents could shed light on the nature of the FBI’s interest, whether it was purely informational or if there were specific aspects of the project’s research that prompted a more in-depth inquiry, but they remain exempt from release as of the writing of this article.

The timeframe of the FBI’s file predates Dr. Kirkpatrick’s outreach to Dr. Loeb by approximately a year. This indicates that the government’s interest in the Galileo Project and its research on UAP and interstellar objects was not an isolated incident but part of a broader awareness and possibly a concerted effort to understand and potentially collaborate on these scientific frontiers.

The Black Vault has appealed both FOIA cases above. This appeals highlight the need for transparency and public access to information, particularly in areas with significant scientific and public interest.

The results of those appeals will be posted, when available.

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OSD/JS FOIA Release

FOIA Case 23-F-0010 [30 Pages, 8MB]

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FBI FOIA Release

FOIA Case 23-F-0010 [9 Pages, 8MB]

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The post FOIA Release Explores UAP and Interstellar Object Discussions Between Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick and Dr. Avi Loeb first appeared on The Black Vault.

The report from June of 2021 on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) introduced a new term to many: Range Fouler. According to the footnote:

Beyond this footnote, not much is found. The Black Vault did uncover a U.S. Marine Corps Order, listed as MCIEAST-MCB CAMLEJO 3570.1B, which offers little more on “Range Foulers” – but seems to indicate a broader definition than the UAP report:

Not much else is found defining “range foulers” or explaining what they are, however, in January of 2022, The Black Vault filed a FOIA request to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) for reports from the K-NET database that had the phrase “range fouler”, and one report came up. However, due to national security reasons, the records were withheld in full and denied under FOIA exemption (b)(1).

Beyond the NCIS denial, the U.S. Navy has begun releasing “Range Fouler Debrief Forms” which are archived below.

These reports are heavily redacted, and are done so due to the UAP Security Classification Guide (SCG).

This guide is what sets forth the security levels (if any) when detailing the UAP issue. It has resulted in immense secrecy, and one that will be a hurdle in future attempts to extract UAP related information. This is all indicated by this, which appears on the released Range Fouler Debrief forms:

As of September of 2022, The U.S. Navy told The Black Vault that they will be adding ALL “Range Fouler” reports to their online reading room, while processing FOIA Case DON-NAVY-2022-012146 filed by The Black in August 2022. However, an open appeal is pending due to some circumstances that have become an ongoing issue with the U.S. Navy and FOIA. Updates will be posted when available.

Document Archive

U.S. Navy Range Fouler Releases

FOIA Release Letter, September 6, 2022

Range Fouler Reports, 2019 [27 Pages, 3.34MB]

Range Fouler Reports, 2020 [66 Pages, 8.74MB]

In January of 2023, the U.S. Navy dumped another batch of Range Fouler reports out. These are found here, but many dates are redacted making it difficult to figure out the timeframe of reports within the release.

Range Fouler Reports, Unknown timeframe (Includes November 2004 “Tic Tac Incident”, Released January 2023 [90 Pages, 8.0MB]

Range Fouler Reports, Unknown timeframe, Released December 2023 [110 Pages, 24MB] – Despite the file name the U.S. Navy chose for this release “(202306)” indicating a June 2023 release, it does not appear these were released to anyone in June. The original request The Black Vault filed in November of 2020 was denied with a “no records.” A new request was filed in July of 2022, both cases referencing the original NY Times article where Ryan Graves first was interviewed.

The FOIA cases asked for UFO/UAP related events in or around the USS Roosevelt, though part of the wording may have been construed as ALL cases, with an emphasis on the Roosevelt. No message has been returned to clarify, but given the number of cases, it likes is not specific to the Roosevelt.

These new Range Fouler reports appear to have been2m in feet added to the Navy’s FOIA online reading room shortly before I got my FOIA release letter. I have tried to call the Navy to verify when they were released. Until then, here is the entire batch.

U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS)

In 2022, NCIS has new investigations regarding “Range Foulers”.

That said, they found 8 closed investigative files.

They denied releasing those files as they are ALL classified and exempt.

On September 26, 2022, the day the above letter was received, The Black Vault attempted to verify with NCIS the number of pages / photos / videos that were being withheld. Their response later in the day stated:

“Our office cannot confirm the number of pages/photos/videos contained within a classified investigation.”
— NCIS FOIA Team

Prior to the above NCIS denial, The Black Vault had filed a request on January 3, 2022, for all “Range Fouler” reports. At that time, searching their investigative database through January 3, 2022, they had only found 1 investigative file, which was also denied, in full:

The post Range Fouler Debrief Forms and Reports first appeared on The Black Vault.

These newly released reports, which are accompanied only by visuals inside the PDF files, are available below:

Atmospheric Wake Case Resolution

These reports were submitted after three different missions in the Middle East, and the Mediterranean Sea in 2022 and 2023. The reports were filed due to the potential hazard posed to the mission and because the videos depict a potentially anomalous propulsion signature.

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Southeast Asia Triangles Case Resolution

Six triangular objects in a formation were originally flagged as potentially anomalous and potentially posing a risk to navigation.

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Western United States Case Resolution

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The post AARO Releases Three “Case Resolution” Reports Identifying UAP/UFO Cases first appeared on The Black Vault.

During the stated period, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) registered a total of 291 UAP reports. Out of these, 274 were from the aforementioned period, while 17 were from earlier reporting periods that had not been previously submitted. The report outlined:

“Most reports still reflect a bias towards restricted military airspace, a result of reporting from military personnel and sensors present in such areas. This bias has been lessened by reporting from commercial pilots showing a more diverse geographic distribution of UAP sightings across the United States.”

While the AARO has not received any evidence linking UAP sightings to health concerns, several reports do highlight potential safety concerns for military aviation. Specifically, some UAPs reportedly displayed concerning performance characteristics, including high-speed travel and unusual maneuverability. Nevertheless, the report assures:

“While the mere presence of UAP in the airspace represents a potential hazard to flight safety, none of these reports suggest the UAP maneuvered to an unsafe proximity to civil or military aircraft, positioned themselves in flight paths, or otherwise posed a direct threat to the flight safety of the observing aircraft.”

Furthermore, although none of the UAP sightings have been directly linked to foreign activities, investigations into these cases remain ongoing. The AARO emphasizes its dedication to improving domain awareness and understanding of UAPs, stating their belief that as data quality improves, “the unidentified and purported anomalous nature of most UAP will likely resolve to ordinary phenomena.”

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Document Archive

Fiscal Year 2023 Consolidated Annual Report on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena October 2023 [16 Pages, 1.5MB]

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Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder on the Annual Report on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) – October 18, 2023

Yesterday the Department of Defense and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence delivered to Congress the Annual Report on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) as required by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2022, as amended by the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2023.

Analyzing and understanding the potential threats posed by UAP is an ongoing collaborative effort involving many departments and agencies, and the Department thanks the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and other contributing departments and agencies for their collaborative efforts to produce this report.

The safety of our service personnel, our bases and installations, and the protection of U.S. operations security on land, in the skies, seas, and space are paramount. We take reports of incursions into our designated space, land, sea, or airspaces seriously and examine each one.

The All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) is leading DOD’s efforts, in coordination with ODNI and other government agencies, to document, analyze, and when possible, resolve UAP reports using a rigorous scientific framework and a data-driven approach. This year’s UAP report covers UAP reports from Aug. 31, 2022, to April 30, 2023, as well as any UAP report from previous time periods that were not included in an earlier report.  AARO received a total of 291 UAP reports in this time period, consisting of 274 that occurred during this period and another 17 that occurred from 2019-2022 but had not been included in previous annual reports.  This brought the total cases that AARO has been reviewing to over 800 as of April 30, 2023.

The post DoD’s AARO Office Releases October 2023 UAP / UFO Report first appeared on The Black Vault.

In the ongoing fight for transparency regarding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), The Black Vault just encountered additional hurdles that make the effort even more difficult to achieve. A series of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) appeals were filed to challenge the Department of Defense’s (DoD) use of exemption (b)(7) blocking access to various UAP and UFO related documents within the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). This specific exemption pertains to records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes, which could interfere with enforcement proceedings.

The Black Vault argued that AARO, along with other past names of similar efforts like the AOIMSG and UAPTF, were not law enforcement agencies. Furthermore, there’s no acknowledged law enforcement investigation that requires the concealment of the requested information.

Last week, the DoD responded to six of these appeals, upholding the (b)(7)(A) and (b)(7)(E) exemptions. These exemptions concern potential interference with enforcement proceedings and the disclosure of techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions, respectively, but again the DoD fails to present what “law enforcement” proceeding it would interfere with.

In an OpEd published on The Hill in June 2023 by Marik von Rennenkampff, it was proposed that these denials are “…circumstantial evidence that a law enforcement entity, such as the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General [DoD/IG], is engaged in a broad, and possibly criminal, investigation of the U.S. government’s involvement with UFOs.” Though, no evidence supports this.

The DoD/IG’s “evaluation” is now closed as of August 15, 2023, thus nullifying the (b)(7) exemption use, yet, the appellate authority claims it still applies in their September 29th, 2023, decisions. In addition to that, the Intelligence Community Inspector General (IC IG) stated in a September 15, 2023, letter to multiple Congressman and Congresswomen, “…IC IG notes that it has not conducted any audit, inspection, evaluation, or review of alleged UAP programs.” This statement, unless untrue or a daring but clever use of word choices hiding their “investigation”, rules out the IC IG being the root of a “law enforcement” exemption use. So, it remains a mystery on exactly why the exemption is being cited.

Despite multiple attempts over several months to obtain a comment from a DoD spokesperson regarding the use of the “law enforcement” related exemptions, no response has been received at the time of writing this article. The silence from the DoD adds to the growing aura of secrecy surrounding the UAP phenomena and the government’s handling of related information.

But in a surprising turn, during the appellate review, the DoD introduced even more exemptions not cited in the original FOIA denial.

50 U.S.C. § 3024(i)(1) is a provision in the United States Code that mandates the protection of intelligence sources and methods from unauthorized disclosure. This exemption serves to withhold sensitive information concerning national intelligence activities, methods, or the identities of individuals involved, from being released to the public, ensuring the continued efficacy and security of intelligence operations.

The introduction of new exemptions fortifies the existing barrier between the public and the information on UAP, potentially making any future litigation an even more challenging endeavor. These additional layers of exemption signify a strong intent to keep UAP records shielded from the public eye, and present an even bigger challenge to overcome should The Black Vault decide to proceed to court for the release of this information.

The American public’s significant interest in UAPs and the activities of AARO is mirrored by extensive mainstream media coverage. Under FOIA, balancing this public interest against governmental confidentiality is crucial, yet the scales seem to be heavily tipped towards secrecy in this ongoing saga. It should also be noted, that no current or proposed Congressional legislation will fully overwrite these exemptions. Although proposed amendments, like the “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Disclosure Act of 2023”, may aim to open up UAP related records to the public, it does not overwrite any ability by the U.S. government to continue to redact and exempt this information from public disclosure. Documents like the UAP Security Classification Guide (SCG) will continue to allow the full exemption of more modern UAP related material, should the DoD desire to do so. FOIA exemptions, and numerous other statutes, could also still fully apply to older UAP material.

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, Christopher Mellon, also has cited the UAP SCG as a roadblock that Congressional language will not circumvent:

Although this is very encouraging, until & unless the overly restrictive UAP security classification guide is revised, there will be little public benefit as virtually all recent data, including UAP videos, will be classified. Congress should press ahead for this guidance to be… https://t.co/JLQdPQoMka

— Christopher K. Mellon (@ChrisKMellon) July 14, 2023

This battle for transparency highlights a broader narrative of governmental secrecy. Each denial and every newly introduced exemption underscores the substantial hurdles faced in shedding light on the unknown, particularly concerning phenomena that captivate public interest and imagination.

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The post DoD Amplifies UFO Secrecy Yet Again: Additional Exemptions Reinforce “Law Enforcement” Claim first appeared on The Black Vault.

As of now, the origins of this release remain a mystery. There are two main possibilities: either CBP took the initiative to proactively disclose these materials to the public, or they were released as a result of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The Black Vault currently has multiple FOIA cases with CBP. Some of these requests were transferred to other agencies, while others remain open with CBP.

To get to the bottom of this, The Black Vault reached out to CBP for clarification. But after navigating an intricate phone menu system, no representatives were available to provide a comment or an explanation about the nature of the release.

While the actual context and background of the released documents and videos remain unclear, they offer a glimpse at some new cases, though much of the resolution seems to be on the low side. The Black Vault will also be seeking higher resolution versions of the videos, along with higher resolution scans of the documents.

All of the material is now available below.

.Zip Archive

Download ALL documents (.pdf) and Video Files Linked Below In One File [753MB]

Document Archive

The following PDF is exactly how the CBP released the documents. They remain in the order they were released, and seem to be a stack of records reviewed, all thrown into one PDF with no particular order.

All CBP UAP Documents [390 Pages, 44MB]

Video Archive

Click on video to download file name to download. That link is followed by a streamable YouTube version for convenience:

• Video pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon 1.mp4 [28MB]

• Video pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon 2.1 .mp4 [110MB]

• Video pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon 2.2.mp4 [112MB]

• Video pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon 3.mp4 [117MB]

• Video pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon 4.mp4 [116MB]

• Video pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon 5.wmv [3MB]

• Video pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon 6.wmv [3.5MB]

• Video pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon 7.mp4 [94MB]

• Video pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon 8.wmv [4.5MB]

• Video pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon 9.avi [50MB]

• Video pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon 10.avi [8.6MB]

• Video pertaining to Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon 10.mp4 [103MB] (Note: #10 was doubled on the CBP release with numbering only – videos are different. On the CBP release, this was labeled “3.2” but the file within the zip was labeled “10”)

The post UAP Documents and Videos Surface from U.S. Customs and Border Protection first appeared on The Black Vault.