Unclassified Summary of Report No. DODIG-2023-109, "Evaluation of the DoD's Actions Regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena," August 15, 2023

“Over the past decades, the DoD has initiated infrequent and inconclusive efforts to identify and understand the origin, capabilities, and intent of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP).”

“the DoD has not used a coordinated approach to detect, report, collect, analyze, and identify UAP;”

“Military pilots have historically reported many of the reported UAP sightings.”

“Also, the Air Force and Navy have been at the forefront of developing policies, procedures, and mechanisms for reporting UAP.”

“In fact, the DoD has relied heavily on the Services and Components to detect, report, collect, analyze, and identify UAP since the 1940s.”

“The DoD's first official UAP-focused activities occurred in December 1947, when the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff established PROJECT SIGN to investigate the first recorded observations of unidentified flying objects.”

“From 1947 to 1949, Air Force personnel investigated 243 reported UAP sightings.”

“In 1952, the U.S. Air Force Director of Intelligence initiated PROJECT BLUE BOOK to investigate unidentified flying objects.”

“Between 1952 and 1969, Air Force personnel investigated over 12,000 reported sightings.”

“In 2020, as a result of increased concerns of flight crew safety, national security, and adversary technology advances, Congress directed the DoD, through the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, to develop, fund, and staff a formal interagency entity to study, collect data, and report on UAP.”

“On July 20, 2022, the DoD established the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to be that entity.”

“In response to Congress' concerns, in August 2020 the DoD established a UAP Task Force (UAPTF) to develop standardized reporting requirements for UAP encounters.”

“In June 2021, the UAPTF and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued the congressionally mandated Preliminary Assessment on UAP, which stated that UAP reporting data are largely inconclusive, as well as a consolidation of reports across the U.S. Government is inconsistent.”

“In a November 2021 memorandum, the Deputy Secretary of Defense directed the OUSD(I&S) to establish the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG) as the successor to the UAPTF to synchronize efforts across the DoD and with other Federal departments and agencies to detect, identify, and characterize objects of interest in special use airspace.”

“The AOIMSG did not reach operational capability and the Deputy Secretary disestablished it on July 15, 2022.”

“The AOIMSG did not reach operational capability and the Deputy Secretary disestablished it on July 15, 2022.”

“In July 2022, the DoD established the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to implement the duties previously assigned to the AOIMSG.”

“The FY 2022 NDAA also expanded the meaning of UAP to include the water and space domains...”

“According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence's Preliminary Assessment on UAP, UAP are objects that are not immediately identifiable, lack a single explanation, and fall into one of five potential explanatory categories: airborne clutter, natural atmospheric phenomena, U.S. Government or industry developmental programs, foreign adversary systems, and a catchall "other" category.”

“...fall into one of five potential explanatory categories: airborne clutter, natural atmospheric phenomena, U.S. Government or industry developmental programs, foreign adversary systems, and a catchall "other" category.”

“DoD Components developed varying processes to collect, analyze, and identify UAP incidents.”

“The DoD has not issued a comprehensive UAP response plan that identifies roles, responsibilities, requirements, and coordination procedures for detecting, reporting, collecting, analyzing, and identifying UAP incidents.”

“As a result, the DoD response to UAP incidents is uncoordinated and concentrated within each Military Department.”

“Officials from the Military Services and MDCOs stated that they have been waiting for the DoD to issue comprehensive UAP guidance before developing their own guidance.”

“We concluded that these organizations generally adapted existing systems and that the DoD Components' existing UAP processes largely exclude the role of the geographic combatant commands.”

“We recommend that the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, in coordination with the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office Director, issue a Department of Defense policy to integrate unidentified anomalous phenomena roles, responsibilities, requirements, and coordination procedures into existing intelligence, counterintelligence, and force protection policies and procedures.”

“The policy should include methods to address unidentified anomalous phenomena incidents and should align with policies and procedures for the protection of United States persons' civil liberties.”

“The Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, responding for the OUSD(I&S) and the AARO Director, agreed with the recommendation.”

“Comments from the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security fully addressed the recommendation. Therefore, the recommendation is resolved but open.”

“We conducted the work on this evaluation from May 2021 through June 2023 in accordance with the "Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation," published in January 2012 by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.”

“We identified and reviewed Presidential and DoD policies, directives, and guidance that establish requirements for intelligence gathering, counterintelligence, force protection, and civil liberty protections for U.S. persons.”