Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena

Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP)

Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) is the term now officially preferred by the United States Department of Defense and intelligence community over the older term "UFO" (Unidentified Flying Object). The terminology shift reflects a broader scope that includes objects or occurrences observed not only in the air, but also underwater and in space — so-called "transmedium" objects.

Historical Context

The term UFO was popularized in the mid-20th century and carried significant cultural and stigmatic baggage. By adopting "UAP," government agencies sought to encourage more rigorous, scientific reporting from military pilots and personnel who had previously avoided filing reports for fear of ridicule.

All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)

In 2022, the U.S. Department of Defense established the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to serve as the primary government body for collecting and investigating UAP reports. As of October 2024, AARO had received a total of 1,652 UAP reports. Between May 2023 and June 2024 alone, 757 new reports were filed, of which 485 occurred within the reporting period and 272 were previously unrecorded incidents from 2021–2022.

2024 Pentagon UAP Report

The 2024 annual UAP report identified 21 cases requiring further analysis due to unusual flight characteristics that defied conventional explanation. Eyewitness accounts within the report described:

• Metallic orb-shaped objects
• Jellyfish-shaped craft
• Entities reportedly distorting witnesses' perception of time
• A large saucer-shaped object approximately 400 feet across, captured by infrared satellite

Despite these extraordinary observations, the Pentagon maintained that no verifiable evidence of extraterrestrial origin had been established.

Congressional Involvement

• 2022: First major congressional hearings on UAPs in over 50 years; military witnesses testified before the House Intelligence Committee.
• 2023: Whistleblower David Grusch testified before the House Oversight Committee, claiming the government possessed extraterrestrial spacecraft and knew their locations.
• 2024: Senator Mike Rounds proposed the UAP Disclosure Act of 2024, which would establish a review board and public disclosure plan over seven years.
• November 2024: A second major congressional hearing called for greater Pentagon transparency.
• September 2025: A hearing hosted by Representative Anna Paulina Luna included testimony from former Air Force and Navy personnel.

NARA UAP Records Collection

Per sections 1841–1843 of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) established an official Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Collection (Record Group 615), mandating federal agencies to transfer UAP-related records to the archive.

Observed Characteristics

UAPs reported by military pilots and personnel have demonstrated the following anomalous behaviors:

• Instantaneous acceleration with no visible propulsion
• Hypersonic velocities without sonic boom
• Low observability (no radar cross-section)
• Transmedium travel (air to water and vice versa)
• Anti-gravity or apparent inertia-less movement

Skeptical Position

The AARO and the Pentagon have consistently maintained that of the cases they have resolved, most are attributable to balloons, birds, drones, and other conventional objects. The office found no verifiable evidence of extraterrestrial technology in its cumulative investigations through 2024.