Range Fouler Debrief, Middle East, May 2020
- Date
- 14 May 2020
- Place
- Arabian Gulf
- Record
- Pentagon file
- Assessment
- Not assessed
- Evidence strength
What was reported
A Navy 'Range Fouler Debrief' form (used for unauthorized intrusions into controlled training/operating airspace): while performing an ISR tasking, a solid white object flew through the sensor's field of view, was briefly lost, then re-acquired making 'erratic movements' above the water. The crew obtained 4x zoom before losing track again due to poor placement; sensor operator continuously repositioned to maintain eyes on the object (evidenced by waves alternately visible/not visible in the background).
What officials concluded
Unresolved
The file gives no official explanation.
- Agency
- Department of War
- Released in
- 123456
Evidence profile
- No: Visual
- Yes: Infrared
- No: 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
- No: Orb or sphere
- No: Disc
- No: Triangle
- No: Cylinder
- No: Cube
- Yes: Other shape
- No: Physiological
- No: Physical trace
- No: Electromagnetic
- No: Sound
- No: Silent
Why this rating Single sensor with an explicitly 'intermittent' stable trackfile and no radar lock; the crew's own account attributes the object's apparent erratic motion partly to their own repeated sensor repositioning ('continuously manipulating the sensor'), which the form itself flags as a possible source of the erratic appearance.
As described in the file
- Witnesses
- One aircrew (unit not stated)
- Sensors
- IR sensor (ATFLIR-type, intermittent trackfile)
- Shape
- Solid, white
- Lights and colour
- White
- Motion
- Erratic movements above the water
- Duration
- Not quantified
- Altitude or range
- 22,000 ft (contact altitude field, approximate)
Pentagon files
DOW-UAP-D038, Range Fouler Debrief, Middle East, May 2020
Open the original on war.gov
What the file claims
- Unverified
A solid white object flew through the sensor's field of view and appeared to make erratic movements above the water before track was lost.
On the map
27.00° N, 51.50° E, a position at sea, approximate
Show on the map