According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Defense Department has received 366 new reports of UFOs or “unidentified aerial phenomena” since March 2021, with roughly half of them appearing to be balloons or drones.
According to the unclassified report, an initial assessment determined that the phenomena in 26 cases were unmanned aircraft or similar to drones, 163 were balloons or “balloon-like entities,” and six reports could be attributed to birds, debris such as plastic bags, or weather events.
However, the report stated that “initial characterization” does not imply “positively resolved or unidentified.”
About half of the new cases could not be explained and “appear to have demonstrated unusual flight characteristics or performance capabilities, necessitating further investigation,” according to the report.
A classified version of the report was delivered to lawmakers, as required by the previous Congress’ defence spending bill.
Multiple factors, according to the public report, influence the observation of an unidentified aerial phenomenon, or UAP, “such as weather, illumination, atmospheric effects, or the accurate interpretation of sensor data.”
According to the report, the majority of new sightings came from Navy and Air Force aviators and operators, bringing the total number of UFO cases to 510.
The increase “is partly due to a better understanding of the potential threats that UAP may represent, either as safety of flight hazards or as potential adversary collection platforms,” according to the report “According to the report. The increase was also “due to a reduction in the stigma associated with UAP reporting.”
More reporting “provides more opportunities to apply rigorous analysis and resolve events,” according to the report.
In response to congressional demands, the top intelligence agency issued its first report on UFOs in 2021, which examined 144 reported cases. There was no evidence that the reported sightings indicated signs of extraterrestrial life or new breakthrough aircraft or weapons by foreign adversaries, according to officials.
Although the report cited no evidence that UFO sightings could be linked to foreign adversaries, government agencies “will continue to investigate any evidence of possible foreign government involvement in UAP events.”
Last year, the Pentagon established an office to collect and analyse UFO reports. The All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office is its official name.
Both parties’ lawmakers praised the report as a significant step forward. However, Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida stated that “more needs to be done across the Defense Department and Intelligence Community to use existing sensors to collect and analyse more data on UAPs.”
