DISCLOSURE / FILE

NSA's UMBRA UFO Messages

NSA Top Secret UMBRA UAP FOIA Production

A 334-page NSA FOIA production released on May 18, 2026 preserves formerly TOP SECRET UMBRA signals-intelligence messages about radar-tracked and visually reported UFOs, with readable entries ranging from probable balloons to silent low-altitude lights, high-altitude radar tracks, and fighter reactions.

Brief

The production is a scanned, heavily redacted NSA record set released after a Disclosure Foundation FOIA appeal. The readable pages show UAP-related reporting inside NSA signals-intelligence channels, including repeated TOP SECRET UMBRA markings, EO 13526 redactions, Public Law 86-36 / 50 U.S.C. 3605 exemptions, radar tracks with altitude and time data, and multiple military reactions. Some entries use the qualifier "probably balloons," while other readable entries preserve witness descriptions of silent lights, vertical movement, spiral luminosity, and a disc-like object.

Metadata

Agency: National Security Agency
Release: 2026-05-18
Incident: 1968-1979
Type: PDF • .pdf
Length: 334 pages
Classification: TOP SECRET UMBRA / TOP SECRET CODEWORD on release pages
Programs: UMBRA, SPOKE, SAVIN, LARUM, WNINTEL
Tags: NSA, FOIA, UMBRA, SIGINT, radar tracking, visual sighting, MIG reaction, high altitude, silent lights, disc-like object, spiral luminosity

Key points

The first page is marked TOP SECRET CODEWORD and records a UFO moving from 75 nautical miles east of a redacted location before fading near another redacted location.p.1
Page 9 logs a MIG reaction in which six redacted aircraft departed to attack a UFO, with the target listed at 33,000 to 46,000 feet and the aircraft line listing 26,200 feet and 930 knots.p.9
Page 21, marked TOP SECRET UMBRA, gives a compact entry for radar tracking of two unidentified flying objects.p.21
Page 35 records four UFOs, described as probably balloons, moving at 79,000 to 83,000 feet.p.35
Page 63 records 72 UFOs, described as probably balloons, moving west over a twelve-hour window with altitudes from 4,200 to 75,500 feet and a redacted MIG reaction.p.63
Page 71 records a MIG reaction entry in which radar tracked 23 UFOs, described as probably balloons, moving west between redacted areas.p.71
Page 236 contains one of the shortest and starkest entries: 13 MiGs chased one UFO.p.236
Page 314 describes two yellow lights at low altitude changing heading from north to west with no noise heard.p.314
Page 315 describes two lights seen traveling south and then west at approximately 2,000 feet distance, again with no noise heard.p.315
Page 322 describes a black-centered object with luminous radiation extending in spiral form, estimated between three and four thousand meters, then gaining altitude without noise.p.322

Verbatim

1355-1401, ONE UFO MOVED FROM 75 NAUTICAL MILES EAST OF [REDACTED] TOWARD EAST AND FADED NEAR [REDACTED]
p.1
8. MIG REACTION TO UFO: 1209-1455, ONE UFO (PROBABLY A BALLOON) MOVED SLOWLY FROM [REDACTED] TOWARD EAST, PASSED [REDACTED] AND [REDACTED] AND FADED [REDACTED] ALT 33,000- 46,000 FT. MIG REACTION: 1241-1353, SIX [REDACTED] DEPARTED [REDACTED] FOR ATTACKING SAID UFO OVER [REDACTED] AND [REDACTED] ALT 26,200 FT, SPEED 930 KTS.
p.9
UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS (UFO): 0005-1205, 72 UFO (PROBABLY BALLOONS) MOVED FROM WEST OF [REDACTED] TOWARD WEST AND PASSED [REDACTED] ALT 4,200- 75,500 FT MIG REACTION: [REDACTED] DEPARTED
p.63
5. MIG REACTION TO UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS (UFO): 0014-0900, [REDACTED] RADAR TRACKED 23 UFO (PROBABLY BALLOONS) MOVING FROM THE AREA BETWEEN [REDACTED] AND [REDACTED] TOWARD WEST AND PASSING [REDACTED]
p.71
F. MIG REACTION TO UFO'S: 13 MIG'S CHASED ONE UFO.
p.236
THE UFO HAD TWO YELLOW LIGHTS, WAS FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE, AND CHANGED ITS HEADING FROM NORTH TO WEST OVER THIS POINT. NO NOISE WAS HEARD.

Most interesting

The visible material concentrates UAP-related message traffic in two clusters: an early-pages run of radar-tracking and MIG-reaction entries, and a late-pages run of visual sightings preserving silent lights, vertical motion, spiral luminosity, and a disc-like object.
The visible records combine formal message traffic, classification markings, and redaction exemptions with UAP-specific phrases such as radar tracking, MIG reaction, and unidentified flying object sighted.
Several readable radar entries use the qualifier probably balloons, but other readable entries do not offer that explanation and instead preserve witness descriptions of silent lights, vertical movement, spiral luminosity, and a disc-like object.
The redaction pattern leaves locations, sources, routing, and organizations hidden while leaving enough altitude, timing, heading, and witness-language detail to show the kind of reporting NSA retained.
Public Law 86-36 / 50 U.S.C. 3605 appears repeatedly, tying the withholdings to NSA organization, functions, activities, and sensitive sources or methods.

NSA's UMBRA UFO Messages

NSA Top Secret UMBRA UAP FOIA Production

Brief

Metadata

Agency

National Security Agency

Release

2026-05-18

Incident

1968-1979

Type

PDF • .pdf

Length

334 pages

Classification

TOP SECRET UMBRA / TOP SECRET CODEWORD on release pages

Programs

UMBRA, SPOKE, SAVIN, LARUM, WNINTEL

NSA's UMBRA UFO Messages

Brief

Metadata

Key points

Verbatim

Most interesting

Cross-references

Cited in

NSA's UMBRA UFO Messages

NSA's UMBRA UFO Messages

Brief

Metadata

Key points

Verbatim

Most interesting

Cross-references

Cited in