DISCLOSURE / FILE
AARO's 8 May 2023 case-resolution report concluding that five equidistant lights reported by military personnel in restricted Western U.S. airspace in 2021 were almost certainly commercial aircraft up to 300 nautical miles from the infrared sensor.
AARO's 8 May 2023 case-resolution report concluding that five equidistant lights reported by military personnel in restricted Western U.S. airspace in 2021 were almost certainly commercial aircraft up to 300 nautical miles from the infrared sensor.
The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office resolved a 2021 Western U.S. military airspace case in which personnel reported five equidistant oblong lights flying at constant pace between 20,000 and 40,000 feet. AARO's intelligence analysts and Science and Technology partners independently concluded the objects were commercial aircraft transiting known flight corridors as far as 300 nautical miles from the platform. Apparent shape changes were attributed to sensor vibration and autofocus, and air-traffic control data corroborated the commercial-aircraft reading. The case is marked Resolved.
AARO assesses that the UAP in this case were almost certainly commercial aircraft travelling on well-established air corridors as far as 300 nautical miles from the platform, based on a thorough review of the data by multiple analytical and scientific entities.p.1
Military personnel reported seeing five equidistant lights that they believed represented a potential incursion into restricted military airspace.p.1
Apparent changes in the UAP shapes were the result of sensor vibration and autofocus.p.1
Analysis of air-traffic control data suggested the objects were likely commercial aircraft transiting known flight corridors between major airports in the region.p.1
AARO's S&T partners used boresight analysis to determine that the UAP were commercial aircraft at an altitude of between 20,000 to 40,000 feet at a similar distance.p.2
Case Status: Resolved; the lights were aircraft up to 300NM away from the sensorp.1
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UNCLASSIFIED 1 UNCLASSIFIED All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office U.S. Department of Defense (U) Case: “Western United States” Case Resolution | 8 May 2023 (U) Case Essentials (U) Military personnel reported this case due to the observed UAP presenting a potential incursion into restricted airspace. The UAP were described as equidistant lights that flew at a relatively constant pace (U) Location: Western United States military airspace (U) Date(s): 2021 (U) Altitude: Between 20,000 to 40,000 feet (U) Shape: Oblong dots/lights (U) Reporter: Military personnel (U) Sensor: Infrared (IR) (U) Behavior: Equidistant lights that flew at a relatively constant pace (U) Case Status: Resolved; the lights were aircraft up to 300NM away from the sensor (U) Case Overview (U) AARO assesses that the UAP in this case were almost certainly commercial aircraft travelling on well-established air corridors as far as 300 nautical miles from the platform, based on a thorough review of the data by multiple analytical and scientific entities. (U) Military personnel reported seeing five equidistant lights that they believed represented a potential incursion into restricted military airspace. (U) AARO’s Intelligence and Science and Technology (S&T) partners independently came to the same conclusion in accordance with AARO’s analytic framework. (U) The objects strongly correlated with specific commercial aircraft travelling on different air routes up to 300 nautical miles from the sensor. (U) Intelligence Assessment (U) Analysis of the objects’ positions and acquisition of additional data led AARO to the conclusion that the objects were significantly farther from the platform than originally estimated by the observers. (U) Apparent changes in the UAP shapes were the result of sensor vibration and autofocus. (U) Analysis of air-traffic control data suggested the objects were likely commercial aircraft transiting known flight corridors between major airports in the region.
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UNCLASSIFIED 2 UNCLASSIFIED (U) Science & Technology Assessment (U) AARO’s S&T partners independently came to the same conclusion. (U) AARO’s S&T partners used boresight analysis to determine that the UAP were commercial aircraft at an altitude of between 20,000 to 40,000 feet at a similar distance. (U) Figure 1: Western U.S. UAP shape distortion due to sensor vibration
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UNCLASSIFIED 1 UNCLASSIFIED All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office U.S. Department of Defense (U) Case: “Western United States” Case Resolution | 8 May 2023 (U) Case Essentials (U) Military personnel reported this case due to the observed UAP presenting a potential incursion into restricted airspace. The UAP were described as equidistant lights that flew at a relatively constant pace (U) Location: Western United States military airspace (U) Date(s): 2021 (U) Altitude: Between 20,000 to 40,000 feet (U) Shape: Oblong dots/lights (U) Reporter: Military personnel (U) Sensor: Infrared (IR) (U) Behavior: Equidistant lights that flew at a relatively constant pace (U) Case Status: Resolved; the lights were aircraft up to 300NM away from the sensor (U) Case Overview (U) AARO assesses that the UAP in this case were almost certainly commercial aircraft travelling on well-established air corridors as far as 300 nautical miles from the platform, based on a thorough review of the data by multiple analytical and scientific entities. (U) Military personnel reported seeing five equidistant lights that they believed represented a potential incursion into restricted military airspace. (U) AARO’s Intelligence and Science and Technology (S&T) partners independently came to the same conclusion in accordance with AARO’s analytic framework. (U) The objects strongly correlated with specific commercial aircraft travelling on different air routes up to 300 nautical miles from the sensor. (U) Intelligence Assessment (U) Analysis of the objects’ positions and acquisition of additional data led AARO to the conclusion that the objects were significantly farther from the platform than originally estimated by the observers. (U) Apparent changes in the UAP shapes were the result of sensor vibration and autofocus. (U) Analysis of air-traffic control data suggested the objects were likely commercial aircraft transiting known flight corridors between major airports in the region.
UNCLASSIFIED 2 UNCLASSIFIED (U) Science & Technology Assessment (U) AARO’s S&T partners independently came to the same conclusion. (U) AARO’s S&T partners used boresight analysis to determine that the UAP were commercial aircraft at an altitude of between 20,000 to 40,000 feet at a similar distance. (U) Figure 1: Western U.S. UAP shape distortion due to sensor vibration