Published 18:04 IST, May 14th 2020
US Navy releases incident reports revealing more details of encounters with UFOs
The US Navy released eight incident reports revealing more details about the series of encounters between Navy pilots and "unidentified aerial phenomena".
The US Navy released eight incident reports revealing more details about the series of encounters between Navy pilots and "unidentified aerial phenomena". In late April, The US Department of Defense (DOD) had released three declassified videos that showed US Navy pilots encountering what appears to be UFOs (unidentified flying objects).
According to the first report of 2013, a white-coloured aircraft was spotted which was approximately the size and shape of a “drone or missile” and left a visible exhaust trail. Another incident report from 2014 detailed the encounter saying the aircraft appeared to be “approximately the size of a suitcase”, and was silver in colour.
The report highlighted that the pilot was able to pass within 1,000 feet of the unknown aircraft but couldn’t identify it. One of the authors also outlined concerns regarding the presence of the aircraft in an exclusive use area saying a mid-air collision of one of F/A-18 aircraft with the unidentified UAS felt like just a matter of time.
Leaked earlier
Notably, this is not the first time that the videos have appeared in the public domain since those clips had earlier been leaked and published by a leading US daily. However, April 27, 2020, was the first time when the Pentagon formally acknowledged the existence of these videos and released them in public.
While releasing the videos, Sue Gough, the spokesperson for DOD, reportedly stated that a thorough review was conducted by the Defence department to determine whether an authorised release of these videos will cause any upheaval or further “reveal any sensitive capabilities or systems”. Gough added that in light of the fact that releasing these videos will not “impinge on any subsequent investigations of military air space incursions” and hence was allowed to be released.
After hailing the official release, former Senator from Nevada, Harry Raid, had cautioned Pentagon to take a closer look at the materials available to understand “potential national security implications”.
Updated 18:04 IST, May 14th 2020