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.

###

Document Archive

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

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [2.47 MB]

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

Document Archive

Operational Suitability Test of the LABS Computer – 19 November 1953 [58 Pages, 10.2MB]

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [10.04 MB]

The post Operational Suitability Test of the LABS Computer – 19 November 1953 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The original request was prompted by the news about the Area 51 Dreamland Resort webmaster getting raided by the Air Force and FBI and Lt. Col. McGarry being quoted in outlets that covered the news.

The request yielded a few exchanges between journalists and the public affairs office unrelated to the raid, but one exchange proved the most revealing about that event specifically.

Although Lt. Col. McGarry was quoted in numerous articles that he had known about the raid, behind the scenes, it was a different story. Although the name is redacted, the signature of the email is not, and the title is “Chief, Nellis AFB Public Affairs”, a title Lt. Col. McGarry has listed on his LinkedIn page at the time the email was written.

The response was:

The remaining documents can be found below.

Document Archive

Nellis AFB Spokesperson Emails: Area 51 [26 Pages, 3.6MB]

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [3.75 MB]

The post Nellis AFB Spokesperson Emails: Area 51 first appeared on The Black Vault.

Document Archvie

ATIC, The 1950s, and National Security Policy – by Bruce Ashcroft, NAIC Historian [17 Pages, 10.2MB]

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [10.06 MB]

The post ATIC, The 1950s, and National Security Policy – by Bruce Ashcroft, NAIC Historian first appeared on The Black Vault.

The record below is an oral history interview conducted with Major Fred N. Thompson by Major Samuel Riddlebarger and Major Richard Clement. The topics discussed were Major Thompson’s time as an F-100 pilot, along with his experience as a POW. The interview was collected under the Project Corona Harvest program.

This document remained classified for more than 53 years. Created in 1970, The Black Vault found reference to it in 2009, and requested the release of it. It was denied (FOIA case 2009-02421-F), based on the fact the USAF claimed the entire oral history was classified. In 2016, a new Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) request was filed , and although it took nearly 7 years, it was released.

Document Archive

Air Force Oral History Interview: Maj. Fred N. Thompson – 2 June 1970 [94 Pages, 29MB]

The post Air Force Oral History Interview: Maj. Fred N. Thompson – 2 June 1970 first appeared on The Black Vault.

The United States military has numerous types of watercraft, operated by the Navy, including Naval Special Warfare Command and Military Sealift Command, as well as the Coast Guard, Army and Air Force.

Below, you will find some records relating the watercraft operated by the USAF.

Document Archive

Watercraft Inventory Records, USAF 2010 Release [63 Pages, 21.5MB] – This request was filed in 2009 for a listing of the “watercraft inventory.” What was released surrounded some supporting documents for having the watercraft, along with purchase records from Macdill AFB.

The post U.S. Air Force Watercraft Inventory first appeared on The Black Vault.

“Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us”, commonly referred to as Raid Area 51 or Storm Area 51, was an American Facebook event that took place on September 20, 2019, at Area 51, a United States Air Force (USAF) facility within the Nevada Test and Training Range, to raid the site in a search for extraterrestrial life. More than 2 million people responded “going” and 1.5 million “interested” on the event’s page, which subsequently attracted widespread media reaction and made the event become an Internet meme.

USAF was fielding e-mails and phone calls from journalists (and others) about the event. On September 5, 2019, I filed a FOIA request for all e-mails sent to/from USAF Spokeswoman Laura Mcandrews that contained the keyword “Area 51.”

On October 24, 2019, I received the below documents.

Document Archive – Highlights

(Full Release is below)

Document Archive

Storm Area 51: Air Force Public Affairs Office E-Mails  [28 Pages, 0.5MB]

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [616.32 KB]

The post Storm Area 51: Air Force Public Affairs Office E-Mails first appeared on The Black Vault.

This was a report created by Dr. J. Allen Hynek for the U.S. Air Force Air Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. It was published on April 30, 1949, and is often cited, but rarely found in its entirety.

Document Archive

Report on Unidentified Aerial and Celestial Objects, by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, April 30, 1949 [278 Pages, 12.5MB]

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [12.33 MB]

The post Report on Unidentified Aerial and Celestial Objects, by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, April 30, 1949 first appeared on The Black Vault.

On October 25, 2013, Business Insider reported the following:

Cadets at the United States Air Force Academy now have the option as to whether to say “so help me God,” when they take their oaths, according to a new report by Air Force Times. 

The Air Force Academy, the premier academic institution for creating Air Force officers, located just north of Colorado Springs, Colo., requires their students to take an oath.

It reads “We will not lie, steal or cheat nor tolerate among us anyone who does. Furthermore, I resolve to do my duty and live honorably, so help me God.”

That same month, I went after records regarding this change, and requested all records pertaining to this change of the oath.  In the response, I received quite a few emails and conversations pertaining to this change, and as the evidence shows, it was quite controversial, and did not sit well with many who wrote in about it.

Document Archive

 Air Force Cadets No Longer Required to say “… so help me God” at the end of their Oath [336 Pages, 52.4MB]

The post Air Force Cadets No Longer Required to say “… so help me God” at the end of their Oath first appeared on The Black Vault.

Background

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is an unpiloted aircraft. UAVs come in two varieties: some are controlled from a remote location, and others fly autonomously based on pre-programmed flight plans using more complex dynamic automation systems.

Currently, UAVs perform reconnaissance as well as attack missions. They are also used in a small but growing number of civil applications, such as firefighting. UAVs are often preferred for missions that are too “dull, dirty, or dangerous” for manned aircraft.

Declassified Documents

Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office (DARO) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), April 1994[170 Pages, 19.2MB]

Counter UAV Optical Detection, Location, and Negation Feasibility Study, 24 March 2004 [63 Pages, 7.5MB] – The BAE Systems approach identifies the key DARPA hard technology development required in order to realize the Counter UA V mission vision. This Concept Development study developed several CONOPS and engagement scenarios that serve to define the preliminary systems requirements analysis. From this analysis, we developed several simulations to help analyze system concept approaches and performance issues. We then performed technology trades to determine the applicability and maturity of current sensor technologies to the problem. A field test was performed where actual data was collected and analyzed. Finally, directed energy countermeasures were investigated as a means to defeat these threats at standoff ranges.

The Development of a Hands-On Unmanned Aerial Vehicle/Remotely Piloted Vehicle Flight Test and Evaluation, November 2004 [9 Pages, 0.8 MB] – The United States Air Force (USAF) Test Pilot School, the Engineering Directorate, and the 452nd Flight Test Squadron all within the 412th Test Wing of the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base, have teamed together to develop an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight test training course. This paper briefly describes the development of the course and presents the major elements of the course.

Global Hawk Accident Report, 1999 [510 Pages, 17MB]

Iraqi L-29 UAV Conversion, 23 January 2001 [82 Pages, 1.52MB]

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle End-to-End Support Considerations, 2005 [141 Pages, 1.01 MB] – Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been used in combat operations since the mid-1900s (Office of the Secretary of Defense, 2002). More recently, both Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom have employed UAVs for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, as well as time-critical targeting. These successes have confirmed the military utility of UAVs and portend that a greater number of such vehicles may become part of the DoD’s future force posture. However, because of the acquisition strategy employed to field UAVs as quickly as possible, the implications for their long-term support needs are unclear.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flight Test Approval Process and Its Implications: A Methodological Approach to Capture and Evaluate Hidden Costs and Value in the Overall Process, 22 Mar 2012 [115 Pages, 3.67 MB] – The advancement in small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) technology has brought a new revolution in the military domain. Their uses have become more synonymous with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. Concerns over their flight test safety and accountability have been addressed in multiple policies to mitigate mishaps and increase proper accountability. However, current DoD and FAA mandated regulations and policies concerning UAV flight tests are sometimes considered slow and time-consuming, which may lead to delays in UAV research and development. This study explores the quantitative and qualitative measure of benefits associated with an abbreviated flight test process for SUAVs. Specifically, it examines the current agreement between two major USAF research centers regarding the SUAV flight test approval process. This research utilized high-level multidisciplinary approaches and techniques including qualitative costbenefit analysis, interviews, value stream mapping (VSM) analysis, and heuristic risk analysis to evaluate the current-state process. The findings conclude that there is a slight economic cost and schedule savings in an abbreviated process. Additionally, this research finds no correlation between SUAV flight mishaps and system maturity. This research proposes using a streamlined process for additional safety reviews to eliminate non-value added process steps considered unnecessary due to the nature of the SUAV complexity. Furthermore, this study recommends using a decision rule matrix based on the total cost of the SUAV and its weight and energy at impact for choosing an abbreviated flight test safety review process.

U.S. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Combat, 1991-2003, 09 Jun 2003 [19 Pages, 150 kb] – Between 1991 and 2003, the United States used a variety of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in combat operations. These included the Pioneer, the Pointer, the Hunter, the Predator, the Global Hawk, the Dragon Eye, the Desert Hawk, and the Shadow. During those 13 years the role of UAVs expanded from mere reconnaissance to target designation and attack. Advantages of UAVs over manned aircraft systems include eliminating pilot risk, saving money, providing long-term real-time video reconnaissance, and reducing the time between target identification and destruction. UAVs are especially useful for extremely long reconnaissance missions and for missions in areas of extreme danger. The percentage of unmanned aircraft sorties should continue to grow as UAV capabilities increase. This paper elaborates on the lessons the military has learned about UAVs over the last 13 years, the advantages of UAVs, and their vulnerabilities. The lessons learned are as follows: (1) UAV flights should be carefully synchronized with each other and with the flights of other systems; (2) UAVs should be improved to reduce their vulnerability to weather, enemy air defenses, and mechanical and communication failures; (3) UAVs should be specialized and used for a greater variety of missions; and (4) the Air Force should develop countermeasures to enemy UAVs.

The post Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) first appeared on The Black Vault.

 10 Propositions Regarding Air Power [91 Pages]

 Air Mobility Plan, 2008 [138 Pages, 3.95mb] – The Air Mobility Master Plan 2008 is an effects-driven, capabilities-based fl ight plan for the future of the MAF; it is guided by the vision contained in the Commander’s Intent and charts a steady course to ensure we meet the Nation’s future air mobility needs. It serves as the Command’s long-range planning document, given a fi scally unconstrained environment and anticipated operational requirements. This Master Plan is not to be viewed as “carved in stone” but rather as the planned direction for the future of Air Mobility.

 Army Aviation Strike Force: A New Strategic Asset for the 21st Century [46 Pages]

 ATIC, The 1950s, and National Security Policy [17 Pages, 9.48mb]

 Bomber R & D Since 1945. The Role of Experience [91 Pages]

 Contract NAS1-97110 “Hyper-X Research Vehicle Production” [72 Pages]

 Crashed Aircraft Disposal Procedures [9 Pages]

  The Engine for the Fastest Aircraft In The World Is Russian [13 Pages]

 Feasibility of the Military Space Plane for Rapid Response Surveillance and Reconnaissance Satellite Constellation Deployment [84 Pages]

 FY 2000/2001 Biennial Budget Estimates, Volume 1 Operation and Maintenance, Air Force [540 Pages]

 Next-Generation Attack Fighter: Design Tradeoffs and National System Concepts [95 Pages]

 Operation Desert Storm. Evaluation of the Air War [28 Pages]

 Strategic Frontier: American Bomber Bases Overseas, 1950-1960 [301 Pages]

 Study of Methods of Range Extension of Carrier Based Jet Fighters by Carrier Based Assisting Aircraft, 1950 [34 Pages, 2.34mb]

 Tier III Minus Darkstar [8 Pages]

 USAFA Discovery: Jul-Sep 2000. Research Activity in Support of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) at the Aeronautics Research Center [8 Pages]

 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Roadmap (2000-2025) [130 Pages]

The post Misc. Aviation Documents first appeared on The Black Vault.

On 4 January 1955 the USAF issued Systems Requirement SR-12 for the Weapons System WS-118P high-speed reconnaissance vehicle.

Range was to be over 5000 km, altitude over 30 km. Bell provided a proposal on 1 December 1955, calling for a three-phase program using a glider designed to be boosted by a two-stage rocket to Mach 15 at 50 km altitude (Phase I would produce an 8,000 km range vehicle; Phase II a 16,000 km range vehicle; and Phase III an orbital vehicle).

Below are some of the documents released on this program.

Declassified Documents

Aircraft Configuration Survey for Weapon System 118P [62 Pages, 2.33mb]

Phase 3 Preliminary Development Plan [12 Pages, 1.17mb]

Reconnaissance System 118P Phase 3 [114 Pages, 5.29mb]

Standard Aircraft Characteristics, Phase 2 1/2, Weapon System 118P HIGH-ALTITUDE RECONNAISSANCE [20 Pages, 701k]

The post Weapon System 118P first appeared on The Black Vault.

Project Silver Bug was the American “Black” project version of the Avro Aircraft Canada Y-2 undertaken by the United States Air Force in 1953.

Declassified Documents

Project Silver Bug Technical Report

Loading...

Taking too long?

Reload document

| Open in new tab

Download [580.60 KB]

The post Project Silver Bug first appeared on The Black Vault.