The Pentagon on Friday released a new collection of materials related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), formerly known as UFOs. The release includes a report from a military pilot who described encountering an object that was "unlike anything I had seen" during nearly three decades of service. The latest batch contains 40 files: 14 documents, 19 videos, four audio recordings, and three images. These materials were compiled from several US government agencies, including the Pentagon, NASA, the CIA, the FBI, and the Department of Energy. The files were made available on the Pentagon's official UAP website as part of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump earlier this year requiring the public release of such records.
Nuclear Facility Incident Highlights New Release
One of the most significant documents, provided by the Department of Energy, describes an unidentified object entering the restricted airspace above the Pantex nuclear weapons facility near Amarillo, Texas, in September 2015. According to the report, two security officers pursued the object while the facility was placed under lockdown. The officers were unable to catch the object but stopped to observe it more closely. They reported that it was completely silent and that, even when viewed through binoculars, they could not detect any visible propulsion system. After hovering in view for about one to two minutes, the object continued north and left the area.
Recent Sightings and Infrared Footage
Roughly half of the released files date from 2010 onward and include infrared footage recorded by military sensors. The videos capture unexplained objects in various parts of the world, including the western Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Middle East. One documented encounter took place over the Atlantic Ocean in 2020. The released files contain footage of an unidentified object that a Navy crew member described in a heavily redacted report as having a dark maroon appearance and measuring roughly 12 to 15 feet in height.
Veteran Pilot Reports Unexplained Object
Another report describes a 2019 sighting over the eastern United States witnessed by a military aviator and four other personnel. In the debrief, the aviator wrote that the object's flight behaviour was unlike anything encountered during 28 years of service with the Air Force and Navy. The object appeared below the aircraft and was moving rapidly in a straight line in the opposite direction. The aviator observed it for approximately 10 to 15 seconds before activating the recording system to capture video. While attempting to zoom in for a clearer view, the object moved out of the camera's field of view because of its apparent speed and could not be relocated, even after reducing the zoom level. A post-flight review of the footage suggested the object had a rectangular shape. According to the report, other experienced personnel who witnessed the event were also unable to identify what they had seen. The released video appears to show an object moving at a very high speed.
