The UAP Task Force report is a welcome step in the right direction
The eagerly anticipated UAP Task Force (UAPTF) report is out. Whereas the unclassified nine page report is unable to “draw firm conclusions” about the nature of UAP, it does confirm that they are real and, in all but one of the 144 instances, remain unexplained. This is only a preliminary assessment - and a cautiously worded government one at that - but it’s a start.
The report critically states:
Most of the UAP reported probably do represent physical objects given that a majority of UAP were registered across multiple sensors, to include radar, infrared, electro-optical, weapon seekers, and visual observation.
It goes on to acknowledge another important point:
And a handful of UAP appear to demonstrate advanced technology. In 18 incidents, described in 21 reports, observers reported unusual UAP movement patterns or flight characteristics. Some UAP appeared to remain stationary in winds aloft, move against the wind, maneuver abruptly, or move at considerable speed, without discernable means of propulsion.
144 incidents were reported to the UAPTF from US government sources - so think pilots - between 2004 and 2021. 80 of these “involved observation with multiple sensors”. A few characteristics of UAP might be beginning to emerge:
Although there was wide variability in the reports and the dataset is currently too limited to allow for detailed trend or pattern analysis, there was some clustering of UAP observations regarding shape, size, and, particularly, propulsion.
Credit: ODNI
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence was responsible for producing the report and they acknowledge that “UAP clearly pose a safety of flight issue and may pose a challenge to U.S. national security”. We already knew about one near miss with a UAP, but the report confirms more cases: “The UAPTF has 11 reports of documented instances in which pilots reported near misses with a UAP.”
To date, there is no indication that these unknown craft or objects are advanced technology produced by Russia, China, or another country - although neither can this be ruled out as of yet. The report states:
We currently lack data to indicate any UAP are part of a foreign collection program or indicative of a major technological advancement by a potential adversary. We continue to monitor for evidence of such programs given the counter intelligence challenge they would pose, particularly as some UAP have been detected near military facilities or by aircraft carrying the USG’s most advanced sensor systems.
Unsurprisingly, the report fails to mention the possibility that some UAP could be of extraterrestrial origin - a hypothesis that’s becoming more readily considered by a number of interested parties. It does, however, acknowledge that these phenomena probably lack a single explanation and might require an “other” category.
It’s pleasing to read in one section of the report that “sociocultural stigmas and sensor limitations remain obstacles to collecting data on UAP”. The report further elaborates on the stigma concern, stating:
Although the effects of these stigmas have lessened as senior members of the scientific, policy, military, and intelligence communities engage on the topic seriously in public, reputational risk may keep many observers silent, complicating scientific pursuit of the topic.
And there’s candid recognition that military equipment is focused on identifying known aircraft, not “unknowns”:
The sensors mounted on U.S. military platforms are typically designed to fulfill specific missions. As a result, those sensors are not generally suited for identifying UAP.
Finally, the report indicates what we have all been hoping to hear. There will be further data collection and analysis. This is implied at the start of the report’s Executive Summary:
The limited amount of high-quality reporting on unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) hampers our ability to draw firm conclusions about the nature or intent of UAP.
The UAPTF’s long-term goal is to “standardize the reporting, consolidate the data, and deepen the analysis”, as well as “increase investment in research and development”. This appears to be a positive step forward that we should all welcome.
The Pentagon Credit: US Department of Defense
Former Senator Harry Reid, who played a crucial role in getting the UAPTF ball rolling, responded to the release of the report with these great words:
This is a preliminary report, and I mean preliminary. There needs to be a tremendous amount of government resources put into this, so we better understand it, so it’s not some kind of a fringe of what government is doing. They’ve got to dive into this because we and the American people are entitled to know what the hell is going on.
Christopher Mellon, another key player, tweeted:
The UFO Report is out. The implications are profound. UFOs, as we have known for a long time, are real, defy conventional explanation, and until more is learned, pose a serious potential threat to U.S. national security.
Senator Marco Rubio, who was instrumental in commissioning the report, had this to say just before its release:
For years, the men and women we trust to defend our country reported encounters with unidentified aircraft that had superior capabilities, and for years their concerns were often ignored and ridiculed. This report is an important first step in cataloging these incidents, but it is just a first step.
The unclassified UAPTF report can be read in full here.
Written by Jessica Nelson, 26th June 2021