Mission Report, Iraq, 2023

Date: 31 Mar 2023
Place: Iraq
Record: Pentagon file
Assessment: Not assessed
Evidence strength

467 case pages by decade; this one falls in 2020s with 169 othersAll cases

What was reported

MISREP for a two-aircraft DCA mission; the crew observed 'several bright objects maneuvering quickly,' estimated at 10-20x in number, moving west to east-northeast. The crew achieved a targeting-pod track on the UAP for approximately 20 seconds before the object(s) dimmed and disappeared from the pod.

What officials concluded

Unresolved

The file gives no official explanation.

Agency: Department of War
Released in

Evidence profile

Sensors1 of 9

No: Visual
No: Infrared
No: Radar
No: Video
No: Photo
No: Film
No: Audio
No: Night vision
Yes: Other sensor

Witnesses1 counted

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

ShapeLight only

Yes: Light only
No: Orb or sphere
No: Disc
No: Triangle
No: Cylinder
No: Cube
No: Other shape

Effectsnone reported

No: Physiological
No: Physical trace
No: Electromagnetic
No: Sound
No: Silent

Why this rating Single sensor (targeting pod); objects 'dimming and disappearing' from a pod is a signature consistent with flares, chaff, or objects moving out of the sensor's field of view/range rather than a genuinely anomalous departure.

As described in the file

Witnesses: One two-aircraft crew (77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron)
Sensors: Targeting pod
Lights and colour: Bright
Motion: Maneuvering quickly, west to east-northeast
Duration: Approx. 20 seconds tracked
Altitude or range: FL265
Effects: None (UAP Effects on Persons: NONE)

Pentagon files

DocumentDOW-UAP-D020Release 1
DOW-UAP-D020, Mission Report, Iraq, 2023
Open the original on war.gov

What the file claims

Unverified
Between 10 and 20 bright objects, described as maneuvering quickly, were tracked via targeting pod for about 20 seconds before dimming and disappearing from the sensor.

On the map

33.00° N, 44.00° E, plotted at the centre of the country

Show on the map