DOW-UAP-PR057a, "Spherical UAP in clouds"
- Date
- 5 Jan 2023
- Place
- Yellow Sea
- Record
- Pentagon file
- Assessment
- Not assessed
- Evidence strength
What was reported
One of two uploads (PR057a and PR057b) of the SAME underlying material, titled differently by two different classified-network uploaders ('[Platform] Observes UAP in East China Sea' vs 'Spherical UAP in clouds'); AARO assesses it is likely from a US platform over the Yellow Sea in January 2023. AARO explicitly flags this record as a duplicate.
What officials concluded
No conclusion stated
The file gives no official explanation.
- Agency
- Department of War
- Released in
- 123456
AARO comment
This media is a duplicate of DOW-UAP-PR57a, alternately titled, “Spherical UAP in clouds.” This discrepancy exists because two uploaders titled the underlying material differently on a classified network.
Evidence profile
- No: Visual
- Yes: Infrared
- No: Radar
- No: Video
- No: Photo
- No: Film
- No: Audio
- No: Night vision
- No: Other sensor
- No: Civilian
- No: Military aircrew
- No: Military ground
- No: Airline crew
- No: Sensor operator
- No: Law enforcement
- No: Scientist
- No: Astronaut
- No: Intelligence official
- Yes: Other
- No: Light only
- No: 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 Release 2 (unlike release 1's aircrew-submitted MISREP-paired videos): these files were found by AARO on a classified network after 8 House members requested access to 51 potentially UAP-related records on 6 March 2026; AARO states many of these materials lack a substantiated chain-of-custody. Uploader-supplied titles (often dramatic: 'instant acceleration', 'Cigar Shaped', 'erratic movement') are distinct from and not confirmed by AARO's own neutral video description. This specific file is a confirmed duplicate of another catalog entry, illustrating how the same raw clip can generate two separate 'unresolved' PURSUE listings under different titles from different uploaders.
As described in the file
- Witnesses
- Unknown uploader, unverified chain of custody
- Sensors
- Infrared (single sensor), assessed not confirmed
- Motion
- Sensor pans and zooms multiple times, tracks intermittently
- Duration
- 1 min 10 sec
Pentagon files
DOW-UAP-PR057b, "[Platform] Observes UAP in East China Sea 05 JAN 2023 INDOPACOM"
Open the original on dvidshub.net
What the file claims
- Unverified
AARO confirms this file is a duplicate of another PURSUE record (PR057a) that two different classified-network uploaders had independently titled differently.
On the map
36.00° N, 123.00° E, a position at sea, approximate
Show on the map