Senate Armed Services Subcommittee UAP Hearing

On April 19, 2023, the Senate Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities held a public hearing on the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, AARO's director, was the only witness. He described the office's structure, its analytic process, and its findings after roughly nine months of operation.

What is AARO and what does it do?

Congress established AARO to investigate unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), objects spotted in any domain, air, space, or sea, that cannot be immediately identified. Kirkpatrick told the subcommittee that AARO had more than three dozen experts organized into four areas: operations, scientific research, integrated analysis, and strategic communications. The office was tracking more than 650 cases at the time of the hearing.

What did Kirkpatrick say about the cases AARO reviewed?

Kirkpatrick said the majority of reported objects had ordinary explanations, such as balloons, drones, or natural phenomena. He stated clearly that AARO had found no credible evidence of extraterrestrial activity, off-world technology, or objects that defy the known laws of physics. He added that many cases remain unresolved mainly because of a lack of usable data, not because the objects are necessarily unusual.

What concerns did senators raise?

Chairwoman Gillibrand pressed Kirkpatrick on AARO's budget, its reporting structure, and why the office did not appear to play a visible role when objects were shot down over North America earlier in 2023. She also asked about a congressionally mandated public website for witnesses to submit UAP reports. Kirkpatrick said that website had been submitted for approval before Christmas but had not yet been cleared.

Did Kirkpatrick raise any national security concerns?

Kirkpatrick told Senator Ernst that cases showing advanced technical signatures made up only single-digit percentages of AARO's total holdings. He said he had concerning indicators that some of those cases may have a foreign nexus, but added that he did not yet have evidence confirming adversary involvement in specific cases.

How does AARO work with other agencies and the scientific community?

Kirkpatrick described a five-step analytic process that uses both an intelligence community team and a separate science and technology team to review each case independently. He said AARO was partnering with NASA, the FBI, the Department of Energy, and academic institutions. He also noted that NASA's independent study was focused on finding unclassified data sources that could supplement AARO's classified holdings.