What does F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600 reveal?

A 2-ship of F-16CMs from the 77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 378th Air Expeditionary Wing, took off from Prince Sultan Air Base (OEPS) at 1901:00Z on 31 March 2023 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The flight was fragged to conduct defensive counter-air (DCA) in the ESSA killbox from 2100 to 0000, checking on station with JTAC callsign…

Which agency produced F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600?

F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600 is a primary-source record from Department of War. Its original classification was SECRET.

When is F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600 dated?

F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600 is dated 2023-03-31. It was declassified 2025-10-08.

What programs and topics appear in F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600?

F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600 references Operation Inherent Resolve, AARO, bright objects, fast-mover, high-altitude and FL600+.

← Files

DISCLOSURE / FILE

F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600

DOW-UAP-D20, Mission Report, Southern United States, 2020

F-16CM mission report from Operation Inherent Resolve documenting an aircrew sighting of multiple bright, fast-moving objects tracked briefly on targeting pod over Syria on 31 March 2023.

Brief

On 31 March 2023, a 2-ship of F-16CMs from the 77 EFS (378 AEW) flying defensive counter-air in the ESSA killbox observed multiple possible UAP starting at 2302:05Z northeast of RLZ. The flight estimated 10 to 20 objects at FL600+, moving quickly west to east, and held them on the SNIPER LDP targeting pod in TV mode for approximately 20 seconds before they dimmed and disappeared. The flight compared the targeting pod return against a star and reported the results were different. The MISREP was originally classified SECRET, declassified 8 October 2025 by MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff, under MDR 25-0094 through MDR 25-0099.

Metadata

Agency: Department of War
Release: 5/8/26
Incident: 3/31/23
Location: Iraq
Type: PDF • .pdf
Length: 6 pages
Classification: SECRET
Programs: Operation Inherent Resolve, AARO
Tags: bright objects, fast-mover, high-altitude, FL600+, targeting pod track, SNIPER LDP, TV mode, F-16, Syria, ESSA killbox, Operation Inherent Resolve, 2023, multi-object, west-to-east trajectory

Key points

A 2-ship of F-16CMs from the 77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 378th Air Expeditionary Wing, took off from Prince Sultan Air Base (OEPS) at 1901:00Z on 31 March 2023 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.p.1
The flight was fragged to conduct defensive counter-air (DCA) in the ESSA killbox from 2100 to 0000, checking on station with JTAC callsign KINGPIN.p.5
At 2302:05Z the flight observed multiple possible UAP northeast of RLZ; the report logs 'POSS 10X-20X' objects.p.6
Friendly aircraft were at FL265 doing 293 knots; the UAP were estimated at FL600+.p.6
The flight held objects on the SNIPER LDP targeting pod in TV mode for approximately 20 seconds before they dimmed and disappeared.p.6
Analyst comment notes the flight compared the targeting pod return between a possible UAP and a star and reported the results were different.p.6
The objects were not seen in any formations like those reported in prior sorties.p.6
The MISREP was declassified on 8 October 2025 by MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff, under MDR 25-0094 through MDR 25-0099.p.1
Original classification was SECRET with a declassification date of 20480401.p.1
Aircraft were equipped with AIM-120 and AIM-9X air-to-air missiles, ALQ-184 ECM, ALE-50 towed decoys, and Link 16 datalink.p.4

Verbatim

STARTING AT 2302:052 ~FLT OBSERVED SEVERAL BRIGHT OBJECTS MANUEVERING QUICKLY WEST TO EAST NE OF RLZ
p.6
FLT WOULD OBTAIN POSS UAP ON TARGETING POD (TV MODE) FOR APPROX 20S BEFORE OBJECT WOULD BECOME DIM AND DISAPPEAR FROM TARGETING POD.
p.6
NONE OF THE OBJECTS WERE SEEN IN ANY FORMATIONS AS PREVIOUSLY SEEN IN PRIOR SORTIES.
p.6
FLT COMPARED TARGETING POD BETWEEN POSS UAP AND STAR. RESULTS WERE DIFFERENT.
p.6
Number of UAP Sighted: POSS 10X-20X
p.6
UAP Altitude, Depth, Velocity, and Trajectory (indicate estimated or measured): FL600+
p.6
FLT OBSERVED MULTIPLE POSS UAPS.
p.1

Most interesting

The report's phrase 'AS PREVIOUSLY SEEN IN PRIOR SORTIES' implies this 77 EFS unit had logged earlier UAP encounters in the same theater.
Estimated UAP altitude of FL600+ (above 60,000 feet) is roughly twice the F-16's reported FL265 operating altitude on this sortie.
The crew ran a deliberate sensor sanity check, slewing the SNIPER targeting pod between a possible UAP and a star, and the returns differed.
Targeting-pod track duration of 'approximately 20 seconds' before objects dimmed and dropped off matches the AARO description blurb verbatim.
The MISREP was originally marked for declassification on 1 April 2048; it was released 22+ years early under the 2025 MDR process.

Cross-references

PDFF-15Es vs Three IR-Hot Objects Over SyriaDepartment of War
PDF'Bouncy Ball' UAP at 424 Knots, SyriaDepartment of War
PDFProbable UAP, Arabian Gulf MISREP 2020Department of War
PDF321-Knot UAP Acceleration, Arabian GulfDepartment of War
PDF40-Knot Hover Plus 278-Knot Pair, 2020Department of War
PDF'Plasma' Light Anomalies Over Syria, October 2024Department of War
PDFFour Sequential UAPs Over Arabian Gulf, 2020Department of War
PDFWeapons-Lock on Balloon-Like UAP, Arabian GulfDepartment of War

Cited in

FINDINGA two-ship F-16 flight watched 10 to 20 objects maneuver above 60,000 feet over Syria and tracked them on the targeting pod for twenty seconds before they dimmed out.War.gov May 8th 2026

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Common questions

What is F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600?: F-16CM mission report from Operation Inherent Resolve documenting an aircrew sighting of multiple bright, fast-moving objects tracked briefly on targeting pod over Syria on 31 March 2023.
What does F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600 reveal?: A 2-ship of F-16CMs from the 77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 378th Air Expeditionary Wing, took off from Prince Sultan Air Base (OEPS) at 1901:00Z on 31 March 2023 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The flight was fragged to conduct defensive counter-air (DCA) in the ESSA killbox from 2100 to 0000, checking on station with JTAC callsign…
Which agency produced F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600?: F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600 is a primary-source record from Department of War. Its original classification was SECRET.
When is F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600 dated?: F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600 is dated 2023-03-31. It was declassified 2025-10-08.
What programs and topics appear in F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600?: F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600 references Operation Inherent Resolve, AARO, bright objects, fast-mover, high-altitude and FL600+.
What does F-16s Track 10-20 Objects Above FL600 say, in its own words?: "STARTING AT 2302:052 ~FLT OBSERVED SEVERAL BRIGHT OBJECTS MANUEVERING QUICKLY WEST TO EAST NE OF RLZ" (source p. 6).

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