Mission Report, Syria, February 21, 2023
- Date
- 21 Feb 2023
- Place
- Syria
- Record
- Pentagon file
- Assessment
- Not assessed
- Evidence strength
What was reported
The most complete MISREP in the batch: a two-ship F-15E DCA (defensive counter-air) mission over Syria (ESSA killbox) with full aerial-refueling logs and an EMI/radar-jamming incident attributed to a suspected Turkish X-band jammer. During the same sortie the crew logged two separate airborne UAP sightings: 3x possible UAP at FL240 (0025Z) with no radar returns and no health effects on aircrew, and a separate 1x possible balloon at FL210 (0135Z).
What officials concluded
Tentative explanation
One of the four objects logged as a 'possible balloon'; the other three left as unresolved possible UAP with no radar returns.
- Agency
- Department of War
- Released in
- 123456
Evidence profile
- Yes: Visual
- No: Infrared
- Yes: Radar
- No: Video
- No: Photo
- No: Film
- No: Audio
- No: Night vision
- No: Other sensor
- No: Civilian
- Yes: Military aircrew
- No: Military ground
- No: Airline crew
- No: Sensor operator
- No: Law enforcement
- No: Scientist
- No: Astronaut
- No: Intelligence official
- No: Other
- No: Light only
- Yes: Orb or sphere
- No: Disc
- No: Triangle
- No: Cylinder
- No: Cube
- No: Other shape
- No: Physiological
- No: Physical trace
- No: Electromagnetic
- No: Sound
- No: Silent
Why this rating Visual-only, no radar corroboration despite an active radar on the platform ('no radar returns received from UAP' is explicitly logged); one of the four objects is separately logged as a probable balloon in the same sortie, supporting a mundane reading of the others.
As described in the file
- Witnesses
- One two-ship F-15E crew (389th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron)
- Sensors
- Visual, radar (no returns received)
- Shape
- Not described (3x objects); balloon-shaped (4th object)
- Motion
- Not stated
- Duration
- Not stated
- Altitude or range
- FL240 (3x objects); FL210 (possible balloon)
- Effects
- No health effects experienced by aircrew (explicitly noted)
Pentagon files
DOW-UAP-D019, Mission Report, Syria, February 21, 2023
Open the original on war.gov
What the file claims
- Unverified
Three possible UAP were observed at FL240 near Shaddadi; no radar returns were received and aircrew reported no health effects.
- Unverified
A separate contact roughly 70 minutes later was logged as a possible balloon at FL210.
On the map
35.00° N, 38.00° E, plotted at the centre of the country
Show on the map