12 SOS Tracks White Light Phenomenon Over Syria

Brief

During a 20-hour, 24-minute ISR sortie over Syria under Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, a 12 SOS asset flying at 20,088 feet observed intermittent unidentified light phenomena via its FMV sensor between 1559Z and 1644Z on 20 October 2024. The reporting operator described a 'misshapen and uneven ball of white light' with multiple flashes crossing the camera feed at different angles, plus a halo effect at the top of the FMV frame at 1609Z and 1620Z. The aircrew explicitly ruled out a laser event and assessed the UAP as benign with no mission impact; the MISREP form's structured field categorizes UAP physical state as 'Plasma.' The document was classified SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY and declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff, on 24 October 2025.

Metadata

Agency

Department of War

Release

5/8/26

Incident

10/20/24

Location

Syria

Type

PDF • .pdf

Length

10 pages

Classification

SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY (declassified)

Programs

Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, SANTA FE

Tags

white light ball, plasma (form classification), light/glare halo, FMV, SIGINT, Syria, 2024, Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, no kinetic data, lasing ruled out

Key points

• UAP observed from 1559Z to 1644Z — a roughly 45-minute window — during a dynamic ISR target-development tasking.p.9
• Operator described the phenomenon as a 'misshapen and uneven ball of white light.'p.9
• The MISREP structured form categorizes UAP physical state as 'Plasma'; propulsion means listed as 'Unknown.'p.8
• Aircrew explicitly assessed the event was not a lasing event — operationally significant given the combat zone context.p.8
• Light or glare crossed directly on the FMV camera at 1559Z, 1602Z, and 1644Z; a halo effect appeared at the top of the FMV feed at 1609Z and 1620Z.p.9
• No interrogation of the UAP was attempted; no engagement; no third-party observers listed; no effects on personnel or equipment.p.7
• All kinetic parameters — altitude, depth, velocity, trajectory — are listed as 'Estimated' with blank values; no measurable motion data was captured.p.8
• Reporting observer rank: E-4; unit: 12 SOS, 27 SOW under AFSOC/USCENTCOM.p.8
• Total sortie: 20 hours 24 minutes; FMV: 14:22; SIGINT: 13:02; three FMV taskings prosecuted.p.1
• FMV footage was exploited by a Ground Exploitation Team (GET), meaning the video record was reviewed by a separate analytical cell.p.1

Verbatim

• MISHAPEN AND UNEVEN BALL OF WHITE LIGHT.

  p.9

• FROM 1559Z-1644Z, (b)(1)1.4a OBSERVED MULTIPLE GLARES OR LIGHT FROM UNKNOWN ORIGIN AT DIFFERENT ANGLES AND DIRECTIONS.

  p.9

• AT 1609Z AND 1620Z, (b)(1)1.4a OBSERVED A LIGHT/GLARE HALO EFFECT AT THE TOP OF (b)(1)1.4a FMV FEED.

  p.9

• AIRCREW CONSIDERED THIS NO MISSION IMPACT OR CHANGE AND UAP WAS BENIGN.

  p.9

• LIGHT/GLARE FROM UNKNOWN ORIGIN FLASHED ACCROSS FMV CAMERA FEED. AIRCREW ASSESSED THIS NOT TO BE A LASING EVENT.

  p.8

• LIGHT/GLARE FLASHED OF UNK ORIGIN FLASHED ACCROSS FMV CAMERA FEED

  p.7

• UAP Physical State: Plasma

  p.8

Most interesting

• Despite the light phenomena recurring across a 45-minute window at five discrete timestamps, the aircrew assessed zero mission impact and maintained their orbit without deviation.
• The MISREP structured field defaults the phenomenon to 'Plasma' — a DoD taxonomy classification that carries no explanatory weight; it appears to be applied to any light-signature-only UAP with no identified physical object.
• The observer noted light from 'different angles and directions,' which suggests the apparent source was not fixed relative to the aircraft — consistent with an environmental or atmospheric phenomenon rather than a fixed external object.
• Ruling out laser lasing is an operationally significant step: in a combat zone, a confirmed laser event would trigger a hostile-act response chain. The aircrew's explicit ruling-out indicates they actively evaluated the threat category.
• The UAP event serial number assigned is 201559ZOCT2024, indicating a standardized AARO reporting pipeline was followed for a sub-classified sensor anomaly during an active combat ISR mission.
• The FMV footage was subsequently exploited by a Ground Exploitation Team, meaning an analytical record of the event exists beyond the MISREP text — though that footage is not included in this release.