History
UFO/UAP Disclosure Timeline
Key events in U.S. government UFO and UAP investigation, disclosure, and congressional activity — from 1947 to the present.
Roswell Incident
The U.S. Army Air Forces initially announced the recovery of a 'flying disc' near Roswell, New Mexico, before issuing a correction stating it was a weather balloon. The incident became a defining moment in UFO public discourse.
Project Sign Established
The U.S. Air Force formally established Project Sign, its first systematic investigation into reports of unidentified flying objects.
Project Grudge Replaces Project Sign
Project Sign was renamed Project Grudge. The program concluded that most UFO reports had conventional explanations but acknowledged a small percentage remained unresolved.
Project Blue Book Formalized
The U.S. Air Force formally established Project Blue Book as its comprehensive UFO investigation program, eventually examining over 12,600 reports through its 1969 closure.
Official source ↗CIA Robertson Panel
A CIA-convened scientific panel examined UFO evidence and concluded that UFOs did not represent a direct physical threat but recommended a public education program to reduce reporting noise.
Project Blue Book Closed
Following the Condon Report's conclusions, the U.S. Air Force officially closed Project Blue Book. 701 of 12,618 cases remained classified as 'Unidentified.'
Official source ↗USS Nimitz 'Tic Tac' Encounter
Navy pilots from the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group reported an encounter with an unidentified white oblong object exhibiting unusual maneuverability. The associated FLIR video was later officially released by the DoD.
Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP)
The Department of Defense ran a classified program to investigate UAP, later publicly acknowledged in 2017. The program's scope and findings have been subject to ongoing debate.
New York Times AATIP Coverage
The New York Times published a major investigation revealing the existence of AATIP and official UAP videos, leading to unprecedented public and congressional interest in UAP.
DoD Officially Releases Three UAP Videos
The Department of Defense officially released three previously leaked Navy pilot videos ('FLIR1/Tic Tac,' 'Gimbal,' and 'GoFast'), confirming their authenticity and that the objects remain unidentified.
Official source ↗UAP Task Force Established
The Department of Defense established the UAP Task Force to detect, analyze, and catalog UAP that could potentially pose a risk to U.S. national security.
ODNI Preliminary Assessment Released
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a congressionally mandated preliminary assessment examining 144 UAP reports. Only one was explained with high confidence.
Official source ↗AARO Established
The Department of Defense established the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to serve as the primary office for UAP detection, identification, and attribution across all domains.
Official source ↗NASA Announces UAP Independent Study
NASA announced it would convene an independent study team to examine UAP from a scientific perspective, focused on data availability, methodology, and future research frameworks.
Official source ↗FY2023 NDAA — UAP Disclosure Provisions
The FY2023 National Defense Authorization Act included provisions requiring AARO to establish a historical records program and expanding requirements for UAP reporting.
Congressional UAP Hearing — Grusch, Fravor, Graves Testify
A high-profile House Oversight Subcommittee hearing featured testimony from former intelligence official David Grusch, pilot David Fravor, and pilot Ryan Graves. Grusch alleged secret recovery programs; the DoD denied them.
Official source ↗NASA UAP Independent Study Report Released
NASA released its independent study team report on UAP, concluding current data is insufficient for definitive conclusions and recommending improved data collection and civilian reporting mechanisms.
Official source ↗UAP Disclosure Act Provisions in FY2024 NDAA
Amended UAP Disclosure Act provisions were enacted in the FY2024 NDAA, requiring agencies to review and transmit UAP-related records. A proposed independent review board was not included.
Official source ↗AARO Historical Record Program Volume 1
AARO released Volume 1 of its historical records review, finding no verifiable evidence of secret government programs involving recovered non-human craft.
Official source ↗