The DoD did not officially examine UAP again until select members of Congress initiated and funded AAWSAP under the Defense Intelligence Agency.
“The DoD did not officially look at UAP again until mid-2000, when select members of Congress initiated and funded a program to study UAP, called the Advanced Aerospace Weapon Systems Applications program, under the direction of the Defense Intelligence Agency.”
DODIG-2023-109 Unclassified Summary: Evaluation of DoD Actions Regarding UAP
page 1, Historical Background
The DIA issued an invitation to tender in August 2008; Bigelow was the sole bidder and secured US$10 million for the first year with a five-year option.
“An invitation to tender for the contract was issued by the Defence Intelligence Agency in August 2008 and Bigelow was the sole bidder, securing $10 million funding for the first year, with a five-year option for the contract.”
Ross Coulthart UAP Book - Prologue, Chapter 1 & Chapter 2
Chapter 12, paragraph 7
AAWSAP was formed using US$22 million in DoD funds earmarked by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in 2008.
“an investigation into the UAP issue that had been undertaken by an aerospace contractor using $22 million in DoD funds earmarked for UAP analysis by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in 2008.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Foreword, paragraph 17
The original AAWSAP funding secured by Senator Harry Reid was programmed for the years 2008 to 2012.
“The original funding was programmed for the years 2008–12.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 8, paragraph 39
Robert Bigelow was the prime contractor for AAWSAP through Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS).
“Bob's firm, Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS), was the program's prime contractor.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 2, paragraph 3
Harold Puthoff attended the Roslyn dinner and served as chief scientist for the AAWSAP programme.
“He was the program's chief scientist.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 2, paragraph 4
After joining OUSD(I), Luis Elizondo was tasked to join AAWSAP and led AATIP.
“Soon after joining OUSDI, Elizondo was tasked to join a special program described by a deliberately dull-sounding military acronym, AAWSAP, the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program. Inside that program, he led the Advance Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP).”
Ross Coulthart UAP Book - Prologue, Chapter 1 & Chapter 2
Chapter 16, paragraph 13
Shortly after accepting his AAWSAP role, Elizondo was invited to a large group dinner in a hotel in Roslyn, Virginia, where the programme's leadership and Nevada contractors met for the first time.
“Shortly after I accepted the role, Jim and Jay invited me to a large group dinner for the team that was held in the private meeting room of a hotel in Roslyn, Virginia.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 2, paragraph 1
At the time of the Roslyn dinner, AAWSAP was not sharing UAP data with other nations due to national security concerns.
“At this point in time, Jim's program wasn't sharing UAP data with other nations, out of a concern for national security.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 2, paragraph 8
Harold Puthoff conceived and commissioned 38 Defence Intelligence Research Documents, each from a top scientist on technology concepts applicable to UAP, including warp drives and traversable wormholes.
“Hal conceived and commissioned fascinating studies for AAWSAP/AATIP, including invisibility cloaking, traversable wormholes and stargates, antigravity, brain/machine interfaces, and warp drives. These studies would later be known as the thirty-eight Defense Intelligence Research Documents (DIRDs).”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 4, DIRDs section
The DIRDs were framed as applicable to any conceivable weapon system to hide the true mission of the overall effort.
“Hal cleverly made sure these studies could be applied to any conceivable weapon system, not just UAP. This was another layer of protection, to hide the true mission of the overall effort.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 4, DIRDs section
AAWSAP/AATIP was primarily focused on UAP but also investigated unexplainable phenomena at Skinwalker Ranch.
“While the program was primarily focused on UAP, a small part of the effort also investigated unexplainable phenomena at a 480-acre property in Utah called Skinwalker Ranch.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 4, paragraph 2
Robert Bigelow was the contractor running the Skinwalker Ranch investigation and had bought the land in the mid-1990s to study unusual occurrences.
“Bob Bigelow was the contractor running point on the investigation and had bought the land in the mid-1990s so that his scientists could study some of the unusual occurrences long associated with the property.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 4, paragraph 2
Since the AAWSAP contract started in 2008, teams of researchers had been going to Skinwalker Ranch to investigate anomalous activity.
“since the contract started in 2008, teams of researchers had been going out to the ranch to investigate and collect data on anomalous activity, including UAP sightings”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 4, paragraph 3
AAWSAP/AATIP medical researchers concluded that the severity of UAP biological symptoms depended on the victim's genetic circumstances and proximity to the UAP.
“We felt certain that the severity of the symptoms was determined by two data points: each victim's own set of genetic circumstances, and how close the victim was to the UAP or phenomena at the time of the event.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 10, biological effects analysis paragraph
Elizondo read bio-effects reports documenting medical consequences experienced by people who encountered UAP technology.
“I'd read the bio-effects reports going back many years. Many patients had had their lives ruined, both physically and psychologically, by UAP.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 10, paragraph 6
A physician referred to only as Will served as medical advisor to AAWSAP/AATIP and to Robert Bigelow's NIDS.
“Will served as a medical advisor to AAWSAP/AATIP and Bigelow's NIDS.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 8, paragraph 47
Multiple AAWSAP/AATIP team members experienced severe biological effects resulting in life-threatening medical issues.
“multiple members of our team (excluding myself) experienced severe biological effects resulting in life-threatening medical issues.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 6, paragraph 16
AAWSAP/AATIP routinely sent alleged UAP material to outside scientists framed as recovered foreign technology, as a blind study for unbiased analysis.
“We sent scientists a piece of an alleged UAP to analyze without providing any background, a blind study if you will. Instead of us spelling out that they may be looking at a recovered piece of a UAP, they might be told that the object in question is part of some foreign technology American forces recovered.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 10, blind study paragraph
AAWSAP obtained photographs of alleged alien implants removed from living foreign military pilots.
“AAWSAP/AATIP had also obtained photographs of these sorts of tiny objects from living foreign military pilots.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 8, paragraph 47
Senior detractors within the DIA actively worked to kill the programme, and a 2009 Pentagon review determined the reports were of limited value.
“the Defence Intelligence Agency's Advanced Aerospace Weapons Systems Applications Program (AAWSAP) investigation was given an extra US$12 million in 2010 appropriations to produce a dozen more reports. But a 2009 Pentagon review determined the reports were of limited value, recommending that upon completion of the contract the project be passed to an agency better suited to oversee it.”
Ross Coulthart UAP Book - Prologue, Chapter 1 & Chapter 2
Chapter 12, paragraph 20
The US Air Force and most components of the US intelligence community refused to support the congressionally funded AAWSAP investigation.
“despite being the result of a good-faith effort by the powerful Senate Majority Leader, the Honorable Harry Reid, the US Air Force and most components of the US intelligence community refused to support this congressionally funded UAP investigation.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Foreword, paragraph 17
In autumn 2009, Elizondo and Stratton met with Lacatski to discuss narrowing AAWSAP to focus solely on UAP threats.
“I remember a meeting in the fall of 2009 that Jay and I attended with Jim, in which we openly talked about the wisdom of Jim dropping the investigations AAWSAP had gotten involved with that many considered to be dealing with the paranormal and instead focusing solely on UAP threats.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 8, paragraph 15
Lacatski refused to narrow AAWSAP's scope, believing the paranormal and UAP investigations were interrelated.
“Jim refused to lose focus on the overall scope of AAWSAP/AATIP, as he felt it was all interrelated.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Chapter 8, paragraph 17
Senator Harry Reid's AAWSAP funding ran out in 2012, but Elizondo maintains the Pentagon secretly continued its UAP investigations.
“While Senator Harry Reid's AAWSAP funding from Congress ran out in 2012, Elizondo maintains that the Pentagon secretly continued its investigations into UAPs.”
Ross Coulthart UAP Book - Prologue, Chapter 1 & Chapter 2
Chapter 16, paragraph 13
A successor initiative, which Elizondo called AATIP, remained active at the time of Mellon's 2017 meeting with Elizondo.
“what remained of Senator Reid's inspired effort was a successor initiative Lue called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP).”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Foreword, paragraph 17
AAWSAP produced a thorough report on the Nimitz UAP case.
“the most notable and useful information developed by the Advanced Aerospace Weapons System Application Program (AAWSAP) was their thorough report on the Nimitz case.”
Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs — Chapter 2 (image only)
Foreword, paragraph 17