Department of War Releases 7th Batch of Declassified UAP Files, Including 2026 FBI Interview Records, AARO Memo, 1957 B-52 Air Intelligence Report

WASHINGTON

The U.S. Department of War released the seventh batch of declassified files on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), commonly known as UFOs, on its dedicated website WAR.GOV/UFO on October 23 (local time). This release includes records of the FBI interviewing two federal agents earlier this year, a memorandum prepared this year by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) under the Department of War, and an air intelligence information report from a B-52 bomber crew flying over Saudi Arabia in 1957. Chief Spokesperson Sean Parnell said the next release is already in preparation.

Department of War Posts 7th Release to WAR.GOV/UFO Under PURSUE

In a statement issued that day, Chief Spokesperson Parnell announced that the Department of War released its seventh batch containing declassified and historical documents pursuant to "PURSUE," or the "Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters." Parnell's title is Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs and Chief Pentagon Spokesperson. He also posted the statement to his X account.

A notice on the website stated that the first batch was released on May 8, and the seventh batch on October 23. Counting from May 8, the seventh release came after 168 days. Parnell stated that the Department of War will continue to release files on a rolling basis. The statement also noted that the Department of War and partner agencies are "actively working on the next release of UAP files." What files, then, were included in this seventh release?

Seventh Release Comprises Air Force Intelligence Reports, Contractor Reports, and 2026 Interview Records

The Department of War assigned serial numbers to each document in the seventh release, such as "DOW-UAP-D155." The prefixes of the serial numbers are categorized into DOW, FBI, EOP, and USG. The oldest document in the list posted by the Department of War is D181, which covers a sighting on Catalina Island on April 28, 1949. Documents from the 1950s include air intelligence information reports and flying object reports covering Saudi Arabia (1957), Guam (1956), Italy (1952), and Canada, Germany, Morocco, and Sweden (1953). Two cases from Alaska (1953), Indiana (1953), and Catalina Island documents were also included.

Documents dating from between 2008 and 2010 were also posted. The Department of War released "MUFON Reports Prepared for BAASS" (D166, November 2008), "Project Capella" (D167, December 2008), and the "BAASS Program Management Plan" (D168, December 2008). BAASS monthly reports were published for March (D169), April (D170), June (D171), and November 2009 (D173), along with an investigation report on a Utah ranch (D174, April 2010) and a self-assessment of BAASS UAP analysis capabilities (D175, November 2010). Added to these were the Air Force personnel records of Howard M. McCoy (D180, 1954), a May 1963 memo (EOP-UAP-D002), and interagency correspondence concerning space debris from 1962 to 1964 (USG-UAP-D002).

On the day of the release, the Department of War's rapid response account (@DOWResponse) highlighted three of these documents individually. The first is an FBI document (FBI-UAP-D043) titled "FD-302, Unidentified Aerial Object Observation Report, 2026." The account explained that the FBI recorded interviews with two federal agents this year. The two agents reported observing a black triangular UAP at a national security installation.

AARO Recorded Black Triangle Rose Vertically, Hovered, Then Descended into Canyon

The second is an AARO Memorandum for Record (DOW-UAP-D176). The Department of War rapid response account introduced it as details of a debriefing with witnesses who observed a black triangular UAP in the western United States in 2026. The account noted that the object rose vertically, hovered, and then descended into a canyon, prompting further investigation.

At the beginning of the memorandum, AARO noted that the record reflects witness interpretations. It stated that these descriptions should not be construed as definitive proof of the object's inherent characteristics or capabilities. The observation time in the memorandum was 20:23 local time. AARO summarized that federal law enforcement officers documented a non-reflective, matte-black triangular object. Its wingspan was estimated at 13 to 15 feet, length at 6 to 9 feet, and maximum thickness at 1 to 2 feet.

AARO described the sequence of events in three phases. The object conducted a controlled vertical ascent for about 10 seconds, reaching 200 to 300 feet above a ridge, and hovered stably for about 20 seconds. It then banked and turned within 2 to 3 seconds, descending toward the canyon along the terrain. Witnesses stated its speed was as fast as a fighter jet, while AARO noted there was no instrumentally measured speed. Based on terrain comparison, the object was estimated to have been between approximately 1.4 and 3.2 miles west of the primary post.

AARO also listed observed characteristics. The object produced no sound; under infrared observation, the entire fuselage showed a uniform thermal signature; and its surface was seamless and smooth. No physiological effects or electronic anomalies were reported. AARO recorded that a ground sweep of the canyon area the following morning found no debris, ground impressions, or damaged vegetation. The two officers, who routinely observe aircraft at the site, stated that if it had been a small drone or rotary-wing aircraft, sound would have been clearly audible even from a distance of 1.4 miles.

1957 B-52 Crew Tracked Unidentified Contact Over Saudi Arabia for 5 to 7 Minutes

The third is an Air Intelligence Information Report (DOW-UAP-D155) prepared in Saudi Arabia in 1957. The Department of War rapid response account explained that a B-52 bomber crew detected an unidentified object on its gunnery scope for several minutes over Saudi Arabia. This post was published around 4 a.m. on October 24, Korea Standard Time.

In the report, an Air Force intelligence officer detailed an incident involving B-52 No. 394 from Castle Air Force Base, California, on January 18, 1957. The bomber was conducting a Strategic Air Command mission. Shortly before rendezvous with an aerial tanker, an unidentified aircraft return appeared on the gunner's A-3A fire control scope. The altitude was recorded as 39,000 feet, and visibility was noted as night.

The return remained at the 6,000-yard mark on the scope for about 5 to 7 minutes. When the B-52 made a left turn, the return disappeared to the left of the scope. The report noted that while the disappearance could have been due to the turn, the unidentified aircraft appeared to disappear toward the Baghdad Flight Information Region. It also mentioned that this return was smaller than that produced by a second B-52. The reporting officer highlighted as significant that the return appeared "where no aircraft was expected."

1950s Reports Document Statements from Pilots, Civilians, and Air Traffic Controllers

Air Force intelligence units also documented reports from other regions during the same era. On December 31, 1956, over Guam, an F-86D interceptor pilot reported that a flashing white light circled and paced his aircraft. Regarding the incident, which lasted about 10 minutes, an Air Force intelligence officer checked weather balloons. The officer wrote that if a balloon carrying a light—launched one hour and 38 minutes before the incident—had malfunctioned and remained at a low altitude, it could explain the sighting. Otherwise, the report concluded, it "cannot be easily explained." The pilot believed it was not a balloon, stating that the object moved alongside the interceptor before outpacing it.

A Germany report citing records from the Tempelhof air traffic control tower in August 1953 stated that a British European Airways DC-3 pilot reported seeing what looked like a red rocket fired about 1 mile ahead. Another pilot reported seeing a stationary red light at an altitude 20 nautical miles west of Genthin. The British Berlin Air Safety Center stated that the Soviets acknowledged the light but could not explain it. A Pan Am pilot reported seeing surface-to-air firing in the same sector. On December 17, 1953, over Hässleholm, Sweden, Captain Ulf Christiernsson observed an object passing in the opposite direction for 6 to 7 seconds. The captain estimated its speed near the speed of sound, and the Swedish Defence Staff stated no Swedish aircraft were in the area at the time. The U.S. Air Attaché in Stockholm also noted in the report that a source within the Royal Swedish Air Force Board personally doubted the captain's account.

The Indiana report compiled an observation by a married couple in a moving car in Seymour in December 1953. The couple stated that two smoke ring-like objects carrying four bright spots hovered while slowly rotating, then shot upward and vanished at tremendous speed. The observation lasted 3 to 4 minutes with no sound. The Reserve Intelligence Office at Atterbury Air Force Base noted there was no physical evidence.

The Catalina Island documents are in the form of Project 10073 record cards and intelligence reports. A sighting on March 15, 1955, described a "round light changing from orange to red falling straight down for about 2 seconds," with the Air Force noting in the conclusion that it was "probably a meteor." A sighting by three Boy Scouts on June 25, 1952, reported silver objects flying faster than fighter aircraft before disappearing. An April 28, 1949, case involved an observer seeing six objects, with the evaluation recorded as "insufficient data to evaluate."

1963 Memo and BAASS Program Management Plan Also Included in Release

EOP-UAP-D002 is a memorandum written to Dr. Welsh on May 29, 1963. The author summarized an interview of over an hour with Frutkin on May 28 under the heading "Interview with Frutkin - Fragments." The author wrote that Frutkin appeared to hold seven views, including that no public announcement was needed at present, that the problem lay overseas, and that the Department of Defense and Air Force were using NASA as "cover" with no intention of assigning it anything beyond returning debris. It also noted that while NASA was drafting proposed legislation, it would oppose congressional submission on grounds it would provoke harmful debate.

D168 is a Program Management Plan submitted by Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) on December 2, 2008, under Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) contract HHM402-08-C-0072. BAASS described the objective of the contract as understanding the physics and engineering of advanced aerospace weapon systems through the year 2050. The plan addressed 12 technology areas, including lift, propulsion, control, and power generation, divided into nine projects. Project names included physics, databases, oral history, and Project Blue Book materials. Some content was released with redactions.

Department of War Describes Disclosed Cases as Unresolved Matters of Undetermined Nature

In its website notice, the Department of War stated that the materials archived here are "unresolved cases." This means the government cannot definitively determine the nature of the observed phenomena. It cited a lack of sufficient data as one reason cases remain unresolved, adding that it welcomes the application of private-sector analysis and expertise to the materials. Resolved UAP cases are reported separately as required by law.

President Trump Issued Directive on February 19; Department of War Leads Whole-of-Government Effort

President Donald Trump issued a statement on February 19. Citing overwhelming public interest, he announced he would direct the Secretary of War and other relevant departments and agencies to begin the process of identifying and releasing government files. The scope covers extraterrestrial or off-world life, UAPs, unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and all related information. The president called these matters "highly complex, but extremely interesting and important."

In accordance with this directive, the Department of War, supported by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), oversees the whole-of-government effort. This entails expeditiously locating, reviewing, identifying, declassifying, and releasing unresolved UAP-related records and historical documents held by the federal government. With dozens of agencies collaborating and tens of millions of records to review, the Department of War characterized the undertaking as an "unprecedented and historic effort."

The actual release timeline followed this plan. The first batch was released on May 8, the second on May 22, the third on June 12, the fourth on July 10, and the seventh on October 23.

White House, Intelligence Community, NASA, and FBI Participated in First Release on May 8

On May 8, the Department of War announced the initial release of anomaly files under PURSUE. Participating in the effort were the White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Energy, AARO under the Department of War, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and other entities across the Intelligence Community. The Department of War explained that the public could access declassified UAP files without special authorization.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the release demonstrates the "Trump administration's serious commitment to transparency." Noting that these files had long fueled legitimate speculation while hidden behind classification, he said it was time for the public to see them firsthand. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated that the ODNI is coordinating declassification efforts across the Intelligence Community in partnership with the Department of War.

FBI Director Kash Patel said that for the first time in history, the American people have unrestricted access to declassified government UAP files. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said NASA will follow the data and share its findings. In a May 22 statement announcing the second release, the Department of War stated that the website had recorded more than 1 billion hits worldwide since its launch on May 8.

Website Enables Searching and Downloading Releases by Date, Agency, and File Type

WAR.GOV/UFO compiles all records released under PURSUE into a database. The Department of War advises that users can search, filter, view, and download files by release date, agency, and file type. The direct URL for the seventh release is war.gov/UFO/release/07. Downloads are divided into documents and videos by release batch, with the first release containing 1.2 GB of documents and 1.3 GB of video.

The seventh release is also available at the same address. Chief Spokesperson Parnell said work is already underway on the next release.

Sources (KST)

• U.S. Department of War · https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4632058/
• X @SeanParnellASW · https://x.com/SeanParnellASW/status/2113602777398071423
• X @DOWResponse · https://x.com/DOWResponse/status/2113639711201697993
• X @DOWResponse · https://x.com/DOWResponse/status/2113709866648797237