What does DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022 reveal?

Mission flown by callsign (redacted under 1.4a), 50 ATKS / 432 AEW, takeoff from Sigonella (LICZ) at 291355Z MAY22, landing at LICZ at 301025Z MAY22, total mission time 20 hours 30 minutes. Tasking was an ISR sortie under ATO E149, mission type XREC, in support of 603 AOC operation HUMMER SICKLE over operating area 41EMD in the Eastern Mediterranean. At…

Which agency produced DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022?

DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022 is a primary-source record from Department of War. Its original classification was SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY.

When is DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022 dated?

DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022 is dated 2022-05-29. It was declassified 2025-10-08.

What programs and topics appear in DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022?

DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022 references OP HUMMER SICKLE, AARO, AIRHANDLER, DGS-IN, DGS-4 and small UAP.

← Files

DISCLOSURE / FILE

DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022

A May 2022 US ISR mission report from the 50th Attack Squadron logged one small UAP at 0117Z and one probable Russian SU-27/35 landing near Syria's Bassel al-Assad airfield, later submitted to AARO as case DOW-UAP-PR21.

Brief

The misrep covers a 20-hour, 30-minute ISR sortie by aircraft callsign redacted under 1.4a, flown by the 50 ATKS / 432 AEW out of Sigonella Airbase (LICZ) on 29 to 30 May 2022 in support of the 603 AOC operation HUMMER SICKLE over the Eastern Mediterranean. The aircraft collected SIGINT via AIRHANDLER and conducted IMINT against 39 targets including Syrian naval operating areas, Russian-linked airfields, and coastal defense sites. At 2147Z it was reacted to by one to three aircraft including a possible Russian SU-30 that flew directly under its orbit for about two minutes; at 0117Z one small UAP was observed flying north to northeast and the screener could not get a positive ID. Declassification was approved by USCENTCOM Chief of Staff MG Richard A. Harrison on 8 October 2025 under MDR 25-0094 through MDR 25-0099.

Metadata

Agency: Department of War
Release: 5/8/26
Location: Iraq
Type: PDF • .pdf
Length: 9 pages
Classification: SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY
Programs: OP HUMMER SICKLE, AARO, AIRHANDLER, DGS-IN, DGS-4
Tags: UAP, small UAP, infrared sensor, FMV, Eastern Mediterranean, Syria, Iraq theater, 2022, ISR mission, Russian SU-30, probable SU-27/35, Bassel al-Assad airfield

Key points

Mission flown by callsign (redacted under 1.4a), 50 ATKS / 432 AEW, takeoff from Sigonella (LICZ) at 291355Z MAY22, landing at LICZ at 301025Z MAY22, total mission time 20 hours 30 minutes.p.4
Tasking was an ISR sortie under ATO E149, mission type XREC, in support of 603 AOC operation HUMMER SICKLE over operating area 41EMD in the Eastern Mediterranean.p.1
At 2147Z the aircraft was reacted to by one to three aircraft, including one possible RFAF SU-30 that closed to approximately 5NM and flew directly under the orbit (FL190 versus FL243) for about two minutes before returning west.p.8
At 0117Z one small UAP was observed flying north to northeast; screener could not get a positive ID. UAP physical state, signatures, RF frequency, altitude, depth, velocity, and trajectory all logged as blank or dash.p.8
At 0011Z one probable SU-27/35 was observed landing in the vicinity of 36SYE6 (Bassel al-Assad airfield area); a second probable SU-27/35 was observed taking off to the south at 0029Z.p.6
Collection covered 39 targets including Syrian Navy ops areas, OPIR Israel-Lebanon-Syria DSA, Latakia naval monitoring, Bassel al-Assad airfield, Tartus Naval Base, and multiple coastal defense sites, looking for Russian Federation Navy surface and subsurface routes, munition handling, and personnel movement.p.5
Sensor suite included targeting pod AN/DAS-4 and AH/SAR additional avionics; SIGINT collected via AIRHANDLER from 1507Z to 0906Z.p.4
Document declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff, on 8 October 2025 under MDR 25-0094 through MDR 25-0099 / JS-250710-TM8S, approved for release to AARO.p.1
Classification on release is SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY with original declassification date of 20470529.p.2

Verbatim

AT 01172, ONE POSSIBLE SMALL UAP WAS OBSERVED. SEE UAP LINE 1.
p.1
AT 00112. 1.4a .OBSERVED ONE PROBABLE SU-27/35 LANDING IYO AL ASSAD AFLD. SEE OBS LINE 1.
p.1
OBSERVED A UAP AT 0117Z FLY NORTH TO NORTH EAST AND FOLLOWED AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.~SCREENER COULD NOT GET A POSITIVE ID ON THE UAP.
p.8
AT 2147Z,~WAS REACTED TO BY 1-3 ACFT, INCLUDING IX POSS RFAF SU-30, THAT GOT APPROXIMATELY 5NM FROM~ THE ACFT APPROACHED WESTWARD FROM THE SYRIAN COAST, FLEW DIRECTLY UNDER. 1.4a .ORBIT (FL190, VS ~ FL243) FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MIN, FLEW SOUTH FOR ABOUT 10NM, AND THEN RETURNED WEST.
p.8
Number of UAP Sighted: 1
p.8
Declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison USCENTCOM Chief of Staff Declassified on: 8 October 2025 MDR 25-0094 thru MDR 25-0099 / JS-250710-TM8S
p.1

Most interesting

The mission lasted 20 hours 30 minutes, with 14 hours 25 minutes on station, consistent with a long-endurance ISR platform such as an MQ-9 or RQ-4 class aircraft (asset type and tail number redacted under 1.4a and 1.4g).
The same sortie that reported a UAP at 0117Z also logged a possible Russian SU-30 closing to within 5NM and flying directly under the orbit for about two minutes earlier in the mission.
The probable SU-27/35 landing at 0011Z, the probable SU-27/35 takeoff to the south at 0029Z, and the small UAP at 0117Z all occurred within roughly two hours of each other in the same theater.
The mission report lists 10 EEIs observed and tracked at least 39 fixed and naval targets across Syria and Lebanon, including Bassel al-Assad airfield, Tartus Naval Base, and Latakia naval monitoring sites.
Original document declassification date was set to 20470529, twenty-five years after the mission; MDR review cut that to 2025.

Cross-references

PDFISR Sortie Over Eastern Mediterranean, May 2022Department of War
PDFDOW-UAP-PR23, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, December 2022Department of War
PDFDOW-UAP-PR19, Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, May 2022Department of War
PDFSingle UAP Over Iraq, May 2022Department of War
PDFUSCENTCOM Submits Annotated UAP Still, 2022Department of War
PDFPossible UAP/UAV Over Baghdad, December 2022Department of War
PDFDOW-UAP-PR22, Unresolved UAP Report, Syria, July 2022Department of War
PDFDOW-UAP-PR26, Unresolved UAP Report, United Arab Emirates, October 2023Department of War

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Common questions

What is DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022?: A May 2022 US ISR mission report from the 50th Attack Squadron logged one small UAP at 0117Z and one probable Russian SU-27/35 landing near Syria's Bassel al-Assad airfield, later submitted to AARO as case DOW-UAP-PR21.
What does DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022 reveal?: Mission flown by callsign (redacted under 1.4a), 50 ATKS / 432 AEW, takeoff from Sigonella (LICZ) at 291355Z MAY22, landing at LICZ at 301025Z MAY22, total mission time 20 hours 30 minutes. Tasking was an ISR sortie under ATO E149, mission type XREC, in support of 603 AOC operation HUMMER SICKLE over operating area 41EMD in the Eastern Mediterranean. At…
Which agency produced DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022?: DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022 is a primary-source record from Department of War. Its original classification was SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY.
When is DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022 dated?: DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022 is dated 2022-05-29. It was declassified 2025-10-08.
What programs and topics appear in DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022?: DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022 references OP HUMMER SICKLE, AARO, AIRHANDLER, DGS-IN, DGS-4 and small UAP.
What does DOW-UAP-PR21, Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, May 2022 say, in its own words?: "AT 01172, ONE POSSIBLE SMALL UAP WAS OBSERVED. SEE UAP LINE 1." (source p. 1).

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