The U.S. government released a new tranche of declassified records on unidentified anomalous phenomena, including a memo from a senior intelligence officer who described a close encounter with an orange orb that split, matched fighter-jet speeds and appeared to "chase" the jets. The files — mainly from the Defense Department, with additional NASA and CIA material — span the 1940s to the recent past and are partially redacted. Videos and audio show varied UAP shapes across the globe, and historical entries include reports from a Los Alamos scientist and astronaut Scott Carpenter describing "snowflake-like" particles. Officials attached a clear disclaimer that the documents do not represent definitive conclusions about the events.
Declassified Files: Intelligence Officer ‘Virtually Speechless’ After Close Encounter With Orange Orbs
Unexplained aerial encounter left U.S. intelligence officer ‘virtually speechless’
WASHINGTON — Late last year, a senior U.S. intelligence officer on a helicopter mission sent to investigate reported “thuds” near a mountain range encountered a puzzling orange orb that split in two and abruptly changed course.
A user uploaded this video to a classified network in June 2024. (Dept. of Defense)(Dept. of Defense)
According to a memo included in a newly released tranche of declassified records on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), the ground team radioed that the object "had risen from the ground, approached within ten feet of the helicopter, dropped below us and sped away." The memo — one of many files released by the government — offers a detailed, first-person account but draws no conclusions about the object’s nature.
This video, whose uploader-defined title is “Syrian UAP instant acceleration,” is likely derived from an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform in 2021. (Dept. of Defense )(Dept. of Defense)
What the Files Contain
The release is dominated by items from the Department of Defense and includes military video, audio recordings and field notes, plus seven files from NASA and one from the CIA. Officials said some material is redacted to protect witnesses, locations and sensitive information. The records span decades, from the 1940s up to roughly six months ago.
Chart showing observations of these “green fireballs,” as well as meteors, meteorites and disks. (U.S. Defense Department)(U.S. Defense Department)
"We were virtually speechless after these observations," the senior intelligence officer wrote after describing how fighter jets were scrambled and the orbs appeared able to match "the jets' speed and flight path," seemingly "chasing" the fighters.
Other Notable Reports
- Los Alamos Scientist (1970 memo): Recounted repeated sightings of green lights in nearby mountains between 1948 and 1951, once moving in formation between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m.
- CIA Officer in the USSR (1972): Reported observing a widening green circle with concentric rings while outside after a sports event.
- Global Video Footage: Released clips show spherical, oblong and cigar-shaped objects over the U.S., Kazakhstan, Europe, Syria and Kabul; one fast-moving object was reportedly downed over Lake Huron in 2023, though recovery is not confirmed in the files.
- Maritime and Submarine Encounters: Some clips show unidentified objects hovering near surfaced submarines or pulsing with sunburst-like rays.
- NASA Audio (1960s–1970s): Recordings include accounts from pilots and astronauts; during Project Mercury in 1962, astronaut Scott Carpenter described particles he said "look exactly like snowflakes" moving in and out of view while orbiting Earth.
Context and Caveat
The government’s release refrains from offering explanations or asserting contact with extraterrestrial life. A prominent disclaimer attached to the files warns readers not to interpret entries "as reflecting an analytical judgment, investigative conclusion, or factual determination regarding the described event’s validity, nature, or significance."
While the newly disclosed records attracted attention amid other political and international developments, they stand on their own as a collection of historical and recent observations—some corroborated by multiple witnesses or sensor footage, others remaining ambiguous.
Source: Declassified UAP records (Defense Department, NASA, CIA) and witness memos as included in the recent public release.
Help us improve.
