Reporting witnesses included commercial and military pilots as well as ground-based observers.

The majority of these incidents occurred in airspace, but 49 took place at altitudes estimated to be at least 62 miles above Earth's surface, which is considered space.

No injuries or crashes were reported in any of the incidents.

But a commercial flight crew reported one near miss with a 'cylindrical object' while flying over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New York. That incident is still under investigation.

In three other cases, military air crews reported being followed or shadowed by unidentified aircraft, but investigators found no evidence linking the activity to a foreign power.

During the reporting period, 81 reports originated from US military operating areas.

Witnesses who provided visual descriptions reported unidentified lights or round, spherical or orb-shaped objects.

Other reports included a witness who reported a 'jellyfish' UAP with flashing lights.

The report states that trends of UAP morphologies remain consistent with historical patterns.

'Unidentified lights and round/spherical/orb-shaped objects made up the bulk of cases in which reports provided distinct visual characteristics,' it reads.

'Objects within the 'other' category include unique descriptions such as 'green fire ball,' 'a jelly fish with [multicolored] flashing lights,' and a 'silver rocket approximately six feet long.'

Investigators were able to explain nearly 300 of the incidents, and in many cases, the unknown objects were identified as balloons, birds, aircraft, drones or satellites.

The report stated that Elon Musk's Starlink satellite system is an increasingly common source of UAP reports, as people mistake chains of satellites for UFOs.

But hundreds of other cases remain unexplained.

The report's authors stated that this is often because there isn't enough information to draw firm conclusions.

'It is important to underscore that, to date, AARO has discovered no evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity, or technology,' they wrote.

During Wednesday's hearing, lawmakers heard testimony from several expert witnesses who have studied the phenomena, including two former military officers.

The discussion included questions about alien intelligence and military research using alien technology, as well as concerns that foreign powers may be using secret aircraft to spy on US military installations.

Government Cybersecurity and Innovation Chairwoman Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) took a philosophical or metaphysical direction in her final question: 'How would you define non-human intelligence, non-human biologics? What are we actually talking about.'

House Oversight Panelist Mike Gold, a NASA legal and policy specialist who now works in the private aerospace sector, was the last to provide his answer, to which he asserted that we must re-examine the idea with modest assumptions, but noted that an advanced visiting intelligence may not actually be biological.

When pressed about what 'non-biological intelligence' means,' Gold replied: 'Artificial intelligence, ML, machines.'

The public's interest in this topic was apparent from the sheer volume of private citizen attendance at the hearing, DailyMail.com's Matthew Phelan reported live from the event.

Lawmakers said the many questions about UAPs show the need for the government to closely study the issue and share their findings with the American public.

'There is something out there,' said Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee. 'The question is: Is it ours, is it someone else's, or is it otherworldly?'

A public affairs representative for the Grissom base told DailyMail.com, 'Grissom has KC-135 Stratotankers [a large, Boeing-made, aerial refueling tanker aircraft], and they don't have flares.'

The 122nd Fighter Wing of Indiana's ANG, however, did take credit for the flares: 'F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 122nd Fighter Wing conducted night-flying operations on Oct 7, 2024, near Kokomo, Indiana,' said Master Sgt William Hopper.

'This training regularly incorporates the use of flares and is no cause for concern,' Master Sgt Hopper, the 122nd Fighter Wing's public affairs superintendent told DailyMail.com.

'The men and women of the 122nd Fighter Wing are blessed and humbled to be surrounded by such a patriotic community here in the Hoosier heartland,' the official continued, pointing citizens to the wing's Facebook, Instagram and X profiles.

'Please visit [...] for updates on when to expect future night-flying operations,' MSgt Hopper advised. 'We are proud to serve our community, state, and nation.'

Nevertheless, the 122nd Fighter Wing spokesperson said he had no explanation for the oddly large weather radar event the morning after those flares were dropped.

'We wouldn't be the right source for any weather-related questions,' Hopper said.