So far, data has not shown unidentified anomalous phenomena to be from an alien source, according to defense officials.
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Unlike what is portrayed in television and movies,
the government has not found evidence of UFOs — or unidentified flying objects — that are extraterrestrial in nature. However, the government is expanding efforts to collect data on objects it still can't explain.
According to a media
roundtable held last month, the Defense Department's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office is tracking and analyzing unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP — the term is an updated version of UFO and the previous version of UAP, or unidentified aerial phenomena, to reflect unidentified phenomena not just in the air, but also on the ground and in sea and space — that pose a threat.
"Unidentified objects in the skies, sea and space pose potential threats to safety and security, particularly for operational personnel," AARO Director Sean Kirkpatrick said. "AARO is leading a focused effort to better characterize, understand and attribute these objects and is employing the highest scientific and analytic standards."
As noted at the roundtable, AARO — which was provided for in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, established in July and replaced the former Navy-led Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force — is working with other agencies to improve its data collection on UAPs. Agency partners include military services, the intelligence community, the Energy Department, NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and others.
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