Unidentified Circular Object, Redacted Government System
FBI Photo A5
An FBI-submitted, redacted still image of an unidentified circular object captured by a U.S. government system in late 2025, forwarded to AARO without location, mission report, or positive identification.
Brief
The FBI submitted a single still image to AARO depicting a dark, circular object positioned in the lower-right quadrant of a monochrome frame centered on a crosshair reticle. The imagery was drawn from an unspecified U.S. government system and was redacted before submission. No accompanying mission report, date precision, or geographic coordinates were provided. The operating crew could not positively identify the object.
Metadata
- Agency
- FBI
- Release
- 5/8/26
- Incident
- Late 2025
- Type
- IMAGE • .png
- Programs
- AARO
- Tags
- circular, monochrome optical, crosshair reticle, FBI submission, AARO, redacted imagery, unidentified, 2025
Key points
- The FBI forwarded the image to AARO; no mission report accompanied the submission.
- The original imagery was redacted prior to submission — what was removed is not disclosed.
- The object is described as dark and circular, offset to the lower-right of a central crosshair reticle in a monochrome, speckled background.
- The operator on scene could not positively identify the UAP.
- Date and location of the event were withheld from the public release entirely.
- The war.gov listing explicitly states the narrative description carries no analytical, investigative, or factual weight.
Most interesting
- The crosshair reticle visible in the image is consistent with targeting or tracking optics on a surveillance or weapons system, suggesting the platform may have been actively tasked rather than passively observing.
- The 'dense, speckled pattern' background is a hallmark of infrared or low-light optical sensors, though the sensor modality is not confirmed.
- FBI submission to AARO — rather than DOD or DHS — is atypical, raising questions about whether the collection platform was domestic law enforcement or intelligence in nature.
- The circular morphology with no visible appendages or exhaust plume aligns with a recurring UAP shape class documented in prior AARO reports.
- The complete absence of location data is notable: even redacted reports typically retain theater-level geography (e.g., CONUS vs. OCONUS).