What does Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq reveal?

Incident occurred during armed overwatch in vicinity of grid 38SKC63 on 20 September 2024; aircraft departed OKAS at 1740Z and landed at 0046Z the next day. Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, AFSOC under USCENTCOM, 609 CAOC, originating unit SOTU 016, 16 SOS / 27 SOW. Weapons expended during the calibration: 20x 105mm, 101x 30mm, and 1x AGM-176 Griffin…

Which agency produced Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq?

Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq is a primary-source record from Department of War. Its original classification was SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY.

When is Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq dated?

Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq is dated 2024-09-20. It was declassified 2025-10-24.

What programs and topics appear in Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq?

Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq references Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, IR lens flare, high-speed transit, sensor-only observation, Iraq and Ayn al Asad Airbase.

← Files

DISCLOSURE / FILE

Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq

DOW-UAP-D28, Mission Report, Iraq, September 2024

USCENTCOM Mission Report documenting a September 20 2024 UAP incident over Ayn al Asad Airbase, Iraq, where aircrew observed an unidentified object create an IR lens flare on MX-20 and MX-25 sensors during an AGM-176 Griffin weapons calibration.

Brief

On 20 September 2024 at approximately 2027Z, a US Air Force aircraft from the 16th Special Operations Squadron conducted a weapons calibration inside Ayn al Asad Airbase's Restricted Operating Zone RAINDROP in Iraq. After releasing an AGM-176 Griffin air-to-surface missile, the Weapons Systems Officer and Combat Systems Officer observed an unidentified object fly through the aircraft's sensor field of view at high speed, producing an IR lens flare on the MX-20 and MX-25 sensors that the crew read as a significant heat source. The aircraft was at FL130, 170 KIAS, on a 096 heading, straight and level; the UAP was assessed as Benign and Solid, with no observed reaction to detection and a path that appeared predetermined. The report notes it is unknown whether an object detached from the primary UAP immediately before it left the sensor field of view.

Metadata

Agency: Department of War
Release: 5/8/26
Incident: 9/20/24
Location: Iraq
Type: PDF • .pdf
Length: 6 pages
Classification: SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY
Programs: Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, AARO
Tags: IR lens flare, high-speed transit, sensor-only observation, Iraq, 2024, Ayn al Asad Airbase, ROZ RAINDROP, AGM-176 Griffin, MX-20, MX-25, AARO referral

Key points

Incident occurred during armed overwatch in vicinity of grid 38SKC63 on 20 September 2024; aircraft departed OKAS at 1740Z and landed at 0046Z the next day.p.1
Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, AFSOC under USCENTCOM, 609 CAOC, originating unit SOTU 016, 16 SOS / 27 SOW.p.1
Weapons expended during the calibration: 20x 105mm, 101x 30mm, and 1x AGM-176 Griffin precision-guided munition.p.1
UAP Event Serial Number 202027ZSEP2024-CENTCOM; initial contact DTG 202027:59ZSEP24.p.5
Friendly aircraft state at observation: FL130, 170 KIAS, 096 trajectory, straight and level, located at 38SKC55.p.5
UAP signature was IR detectable by MX-20 and MX-25 sensors; UAP physical state recorded as Solid; observer assessment Benign.p.5
UAP flew through the sensor between munition release and munition impact; crew maintained laser energy until impact and did not reobserve the UAP.p.6
Reporter noted it is unknown whether an object detached from the primary UAP immediately before leaving the sensor field of view.p.6
Path of movement appeared predetermined and not in response to the aircraft's detection.p.6
Declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff, on 24 October 2025; approved for release to AARO 10/28/25.p.1

Verbatim

CREW OBSERVED AN UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENA DURING ITS PGM SHOT
p.1
UAP FLEW THROUGH (b)(1)1.4a SENSOR IN BETWEEN MUNITION RELEASE AND MUNITION IMPACT
p.5
IR SIGNATURE DETECTABLE BY MX-20 & MX-25
p.5
UAP CREATED IR LENS FLARE ON MX-20 & MX-25 SENSORS, INDICATING A SIGNIFICANT HEAT SOURCE. THE UAP MOVED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED THROUGH THE SENSOR FIELD OF VIEW.
p.6
IT IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME WHETHER AN OBJECT DETACHED ITSELF FROM THE PRIMARY UAP IMMEDIATELY BEFORE LEAVING THE SENSOR FIELD OF VIEW.
p.6
PATH OF MOVEMENT APPEARED PREDETERMINED AND NOT IN RESPONSE TO (b)(1)1.4a 's DETECTION
p.6
THE CREW MAINTAINED LASER ENERGY UNTIL THE MUNITION IMPACTED ITS DESIRED TARGET.
p.6

Most interesting

Two airborne officers, a Weapons Systems Officer and a Combat Systems Officer, independently witnessed the object cross the sensor field of view.
The UAP appeared in the narrow window between weapons release and munition impact, while the crew was still lasing the target.
Two separate targeting sensors, the MX-20 and MX-25, both registered the IR lens flare, which the reporter read as a significant heat source.
The reporter explicitly raised the possibility that a secondary object detached from the primary UAP before it left the sensor's field of view.
The observed path appeared predetermined and showed no reaction to the aircraft's detection.
Despite the encounter, the crew continued lasing and the munition impacted its intended target; the UAP was never reacquired.
The MISREP classifies the UAP as Solid and assesses it as Benign rather than hostile or unknown-threat.

Cross-references

PDF'Plasma' Light Anomalies Over Syria, October 2024Department of War
PDFSingle UAP Over Iraq, May 2022Department of War
PDFDOW-UAP-D32, Mission Report, Syria, October 2024Department of War
PDFDOW-UAP-D32, Mission Report, Syria, October 2024Department of War
PDFPossible UAP/UAV Over Baghdad, December 2022Department of War
PDF434-Knot SWIR-Only Diamond Over MediterraneanDepartment of War
PDFDOW-UAP-PR31, Unresolved UAP Report, Syria, October 2024Department of War
PDFUAP Outpaces ISR Over Gulf of AdenDepartment of War

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Common questions

What is Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq?: USCENTCOM Mission Report documenting a September 20 2024 UAP incident over Ayn al Asad Airbase, Iraq, where aircrew observed an unidentified object create an IR lens flare on MX-20 and MX-25 sensors during an AGM-176 Griffin weapons calibration.
What does Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq reveal?: Incident occurred during armed overwatch in vicinity of grid 38SKC63 on 20 September 2024; aircraft departed OKAS at 1740Z and landed at 0046Z the next day. Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, AFSOC under USCENTCOM, 609 CAOC, originating unit SOTU 016, 16 SOS / 27 SOW. Weapons expended during the calibration: 20x 105mm, 101x 30mm, and 1x AGM-176 Griffin…
Which agency produced Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq?: Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq is a primary-source record from Department of War. Its original classification was SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY.
When is Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq dated?: Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq is dated 2024-09-20. It was declassified 2025-10-24.
What programs and topics appear in Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq?: Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq references Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, IR lens flare, high-speed transit, sensor-only observation, Iraq and Ayn al Asad Airbase.
What does Object Crossing Griffin Missile Path, Iraq say, in its own words?: "CREW OBSERVED AN UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENA DURING ITS PGM SHOT" (source p. 1).

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