Fiscal Year 2023 Consolidated Annual Report on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena/Appendices
VI. APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: CASE CLOSURE REPORT
Attached is a pilot example of the result of AARO's full-phase analytic process. The files and accompanying data in each case have been given to AARO's IC and S&T partners for their analysis, and this resolution report reflects AARO's determination based on the results. These case resolutions and accompanying unclassified analyses will be published on AARO's website.
All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office
US Department of Defense
Case: "Western United States"
Case Resolution | 8 May 2023
(U) Key Findings
(U) AARO assesses that the UAP in this case were almost certainty commercial aircraft travelling on well-established air corridors as far as 300 nautical mites from the platform, based on a thorough review of the data by multiple analytical and scientific entities.
- (U) Military personnel reported seeing five equidistant lights that they believed represented a potential incursion into restricted military airspace.
- (U) AARO's intelligence and Science and Technology (S&T) partners independently came to the same conclusion in accordance with AARO's analytic framework.
- (U) The objects strongly correlated with specific commercial aircraft travelling on different air routes up to 300 nautical miles from the sensor.
(U) Intelligence Assessment
(U) Analysis of the objects' positions and acquisition of additional data led AARO to the conclusion that the objects were significantly farther from the platform than originally estimated by the observers.
(U) Case Essentials
(U) Military personnel reported this case due to the observed UAP presenting a potential incursion into restricted airspace. The UAP were described as equidistant lights that flew at a relatively constant pace
(U) Location: Western United States military airspace
(U) Date(s): 2021
(U) Altitude: between 20,000 to 40,000 feet
(U) Shape: Oblong dots/lights
(U) Reporter: Military personnel
(U) Sensor: Infrared (IR)
(U) Behavior: Equidistant lights that flew at a relatively constant pace
(U) Case Status: Resolved; the lights were aircraft up to 300NM away from the sensor
- (U) Analysis of air-traffic control data suggested the objects were likely commercial aircraft transiting known flight corridors between major airports in the region.
(U) Science & Technology Assessment
(U) AARO's S&T partners independently came to the same conclusion.
- (U) AARO’s S&T partners used boresight analysis to determine that the UAP were commercial aircraft at an altitude of between 20,000 to 40,000 feet at a similar distance.
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(U) Figure 1: Western U.S. UAP shape distorted due to sensor vibration.
Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon (UAP): Sources of anomalous detections in one or more domain (i.e., airborne, seaborne, spaceborne, and/or transmedium) that are not yet attributable to known actors and that demonstrate behaviors that are not readily understood by sensors or observers. "Anomalous detections" include but are not limited to phenomena that demonstrate apparent capabilities or material that exceed known performance envelopes. A UAP may consist of one or more unidentified anomalous objects and may persist over an extended period of time.
Spaceborne UAP: Sources of anomalous detections above the Karman Line (i.e., 100 km above Earth's mean sea level).
Airborne UAP: Sources of anomalous detections between Earth's mean sea level and the Karman Line.
Seaborne UAP: Sources of anomalous detections at or below Earth's mean sea level within a body of water.
Transmedium UAP: Sources of anomalous detections that transit more than one domain.
UAP Objects and Material: Corporeal artifacts of UAP. UAP may contain one or more UAP objects (e.g., airborne craft exhibiting apparent anomalous capabilities). UAP material are samples, in whole or in part, of UAP objects (e.g., debris).
UAP Data: Any records of UAP detection, observation, identification, effects (on persons or equipment), mitigation, and material-exploitation. UAP data includes but is not limited to written notes, still and full-motion photographs, audio recordings, full-/ partial-spectrum characterization, and digital record from observers, sensors, platforms, debriefers, and investigators.
UAP Incident: Any occurrence where UAP is detected by persons or sensors.
UAP Incursion: Any UAP incident in, on, or near U.S. military installations, operating areas, training areas, special use airspace, proximity operations, and/or other national security areas of interest. Other areas of interest include but are not limited to U.S. critical infrastructure, IC installations and platforms, and national defense equities of Allied military and intelligence coalitions (e.g., Five Eyes).
UAP Engagement: Bringing UAP under kinetic or non-kinetic fire, to deny, disrupt, or destroy the phenomenon and/or its object(s).
UAP Interrogation: The elicitation of UAP location, capabilities, characteristics, and/or intent using passive and/or active sensing capabilities—including but not limited to electro-optical/imagery, infrared/thermal, radiofrequency/radar, light/laser/lidar/ladar, electromagnetic, gravitational, and radioactive means.
UAP Attribution: The assessed natural or artificial source of the phenomenon and includes solar, weather, tidal events; U.S. Government, scientific, industry, and private activities; and foreign (allied or adversary) government, scientific, industry, and private activities.
UAP Risk: A safety hazard to persons, materiel, or information (e.g., from collision).
UAP Threat: A force-protection and/or national-security threat to persons, materiel, or information by UAP that demonstrate hostile intent.