The DoD Inspector General’s Evaluation of the DoD’s Actions Regarding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

In recent years, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) have received significant attention from both the public and governmental bodies, raising questions about national security and the transparency of investigations into these mysterious sightings. The Department of Defense (DoD), through its Office of Inspector General (OIG), launched Project No. D2021-DEV0SN-0116.000 on May 3, 2021, aimed at evaluating how the DoD has managed reports and investigations related to UAPs. This evaluation became a focal point for many, as it promised to shed light on the DoD’s approach to these phenomena.

In response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed by The Black Vault on May 4, 2021, the DoD OIG released 101 pages of internal emails and documents. The original request sought “…a copy of records (which includes videos/photos), electronic or otherwise, pertaining to Project No. D2021-DEV0SN-0116.000. This would include, but not be limited to, the ‘evaluation’ objectives, overview, communications about the setup of the project number, etc.”

These records, partially redacted, offer a glimpse into that evaluation.

Continue scrolling for more...

Late September 2020: Setting the Stage

The first significant exchange occurred in late September 2020, when a DoD OIG official initiated contact with key players in the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security (OUSD(I&S)). The purpose of this outreach was to gather points of contact and arrange briefings on the DoD’s efforts related to UAPs. The OIG was particularly interested in the classified annex of the Senate Armed Services Committee Report on the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2020, which dealt with “Advanced Operational Capabilities Collection, Exploitation, and Research.”

In one of the early emails, an official wrote, “My leadership and I would like to obtain a briefing on the unexplained airborne activities and understand the current efforts and programs in place.”

Early October 2020: Coordination and Planning

By early October, the planning for these briefings began to take shape. On October 1, 2020, Matthew C. Cummings, the Deputy Director for Technical Collection at OUSD(I&S), confirmed his willingness to support the briefing, noting that the Navy typically took the lead on briefing program activities and status. “I’m happy to fill in any gaps from the OSD level,” he added, indicating a collaborative effort across departments.

Discussions quickly moved to logistics, with emails exchanged about scheduling and the security clearances required for attendees. An email from October 7, 2020, highlighted the need for participants to have IC blue badges, a requirement reflecting the high level of classified information that would be discussed.

“We all have our IC blue badges, so we are good to go,” said one unidentified individual from the IG’s office, ensuring that the necessary security protocols were in place.

Mid-October 2020: The Briefing Takes Place

As the date of the briefing approached, final preparations were made. The briefing was scheduled for October 15, 2020, in a secure conference room at the Pentagon. The DoD OIG was keen to ensure that the briefing provided the most comprehensive information available, requesting, “We would like to receive the briefing at the highest classification available. We want to make sure that we are not limited in the information we receive.”

The meeting itself, while not detailed in the released emails, likely involved in-depth discussions on the classified aspects of UAP investigations and the DoD’s response strategies.

Another email of note made reference to a recorded, approximate 25-minute duration, classified UAP briefing created by Stratton. Although this has been discovered before, the length of that video was unknown, until now.

Post-Briefing Follow-Up

Following the October 15 briefing, the email correspondence reveals continued coordination among the involved parties. The OIG remained engaged, ensuring that any further information or clarification needed for their evaluation would be obtained.

This FOIA release marks the first interim disclosure of documents related to Project No. D2021-DEV0SN-0116.000, with more records expected in the future. The process of releasing documents in stages, known as a “rolling release,” allows for information to be made available to the public as it is processed and reviewed. As additional batches of documents are cleared for release, they will provide further insights into the DoD’s actions and internal communications regarding Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, gradually building a more complete picture of the evaluation process.

The above should not be considered a complete breakdown, nor the only interesting parts of the release(s) so far sent to The Black Vault. Rather, this is just the start of a timeline, highlighting key parts of the ramp up to the DoD/IG Evaluation.