How U.S. law defines it
The term "unidentified aerial phenomena" means airborne objects witnessed by a pilot or aircrew member that are not immediately identifiable.
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 · Read it on Congress.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "unidentified aerial phenomena" actually mean in plain language?
It means an airborne object that a pilot or aircrew member saw and could not immediately identify. The definition is narrow: it applies to what aircrew witness in the air, not to every unexplained sighting.
airborne objects witnessed by a pilot or aircrew member that are not immediately identifiable
Who was responsible for collecting UAP data under early legislation?
The Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense were jointly required to make sure every relevant part of the intelligence community and the Department of Defense shared their UAP data.
The Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense shall jointly require that each element of the intelligence community and component of the Department of Defense with data relating to unidentified aerial phenomena makes su
What replaced the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force?
Congress established the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office to take over the Task Force's duties and handle a wider range of phenomena, including those in space, the atmosphere, and underwater.
Is "unidentified aerial phenomena" the same as the newer UAP term used in recent laws?
No. The newer term is "unidentified anomalous phenomena," and it is broader. The records explicitly list "unidentified aerial phenomena" as one of the older labels now folded into that newer, wider definition.
What kinds of objects does the original definition leave out?
The original definition covers only airborne objects seen by aircrew. It does not cover objects underwater or in space. Later legislation added those categories through the broader "unidentified anomalous phenomena" label, which includes unidentified submerged objects and transmedium objects.
transmedium objects or devices and unidentified aerospace-undersea phenomena
Related Intelligence
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 This bill authorizes FY2024 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DO…
Open fileNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 DIVISION A--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZATIONS TITLE I--PROCUREMENT This title authorizes appr…
Open fileNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 This bill authorizes Department of Defense (DOD) activities and programs for FY2022 and addresse…
Open fileJames M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023
James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 This act authorizes defense-related activities and addresses a wide variety of o…
Open fileNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 This bill authorizes Department of Defense (DOD) activities for FY2023 and addresses other issue…
Open fileNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022
The 2022 defense bill establishes a new Pentagon office to track unidentified aerial phenomena and requires annual reports to Congress.
Open fileProviding for the concurrence by the House in the Senate amendment to H.R. 7776, with an amendment.
This resolution provides for House adoption and amendment of H.R. 7776, the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023.
Open fileConsolidated Appropriations Act, 2022
This 2022 federal spending bill funds government agencies for the year and includes a requirement for the military to share UAP data with Congress quarterly.
Open fileIntelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022
This bill authorizes intelligence spending for fiscal year 2022 and establishes new requirements for UAP data sharing and reporting.
Open fileNational Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 This bill sets forth policies and authorities for FY2026 for Department of Defense (DOD) program…
Open fileIntelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022
This 2022 intelligence bill authorizes funding and activities for U.S. spy agencies and establishes new oversight rules for UAP data.
Open fileIntelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 This bill authorizes for FY2023 various intelligence-related activities and addresses related issues…
Open fileA resolution condemning the use by the People's Republic of China of a high-altitude surveillance balloon over the territory of the United States as a brazen violation of United States sovereignty.
Senate resolution condemning China's use of a surveillance balloon over U.S. territory as a violation of sovereignty.
Open filePentagon UAP Videos Release (2020)
The Pentagon officially released three Navy videos of unidentified aerial phenomena on April 27, 2020.
Open fileUAP Task Force Preliminary Assessment (2021)
The U.S. intelligence community released an unclassified report on 144 unexplained aerial sightings by military personnel, identifying only one object and calling for further study.
Open file62-HQ-83894 Section 7: FBI Case File 62-HQ-83894, Section 7
The FBI's 62-HQ-83894 case file includes investigative records, eyewitness testimonies, and public reports concerning Unidentified Flying Objects and fl…
Open fileDOW-UAP-D028: Mission Report, Iraq, September 2024
This document is a Mission Report (MISREP), a standardized reporting form the U.S. Military uses to record the circumstances surrounding its operations.…
Open fileState Department UAP Cable 001, Papua New Guinea, January 28, 1985
A 1985 State Department cable reports Papua New Guinea's inquiry about unidentified aircraft sightings on January 24.
Open fileODNI-UAP-D001: USPER Narrative, Senior USIC Official
This document is a first-hand account written by a currently serving (May 2026) senior U.S. intelligence official. The official was part of a team inves…
Open fileSenate Armed Services Subcommittee UAP Hearing
A Senate subcommittee heard from AARO's founding director about the office's mission, methods, and early findings on UAP.
Open fileHouse Oversight Committee UAP Hearing
The July 26, 2023 House Oversight subcommittee hearing on UAPs featured sworn testimony from three witnesses about sightings, safety risks, and alleged government secrecy.
Open fileUnidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Implications on National Security, Public Safety, and Government Transparency
House congressional hearing (118th Congress): Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Implications on National Security, Public Safety, and Government Transpa…
Open fileThe Mission, Activities, Oversight, and Budget of the All - Domain Anomaly Resolution Office
Senate congressional hearing (118th Congress): The Mission, Activities, Oversight, and Budget of the All - Domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
Open file