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20 - ORGANIZATIONS/GOVERNMENT/USA/UAP Task Force.md
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@ -23,15 +23,15 @@ relations:
with: "[[Jay Stratton]]"
reverse: true
role: "first director, per Luis Elizondo and a Radiance Technologies release of May 12, 2022"
fn: 18
fn: 21
- type: member_of
with: "[[David Grusch]]"
reverse: true
start: 2019
end: 2021
role: "member as National Reconnaissance Office reservist, per his statement of July 26, 2023"
fn: 20
updated: 2026-10-08
fn: 23
updated: 2026-10-09
---
The UAP Task Force (UAPTF) was a Navy-led interagency unit for the collection and analysis of [[Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena]] (UAP) reports. Its establishment was approved by [[David L. Norquist]], Deputy Secretary of Defense, on August 4, 2020, and announced by the [[Department of Defense]] on August 14, 2020.[^1] Its charter, issued by the [[Naval Intelligence Activity]] on September 1, 2020, calls it a "Congressionally mandated, Deputy Secretary of Defense directed" entity.[^2] The unit was succeeded by the [[Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group]] (AOIMSG) in November 2021 and by the [[All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office]] (AARO) under a memorandum dated July 15, 2022.[^3][^4]
@ -67,37 +67,43 @@ The May 17, 2021 briefing gives the multi-sensor share as 55 percent of the 144
### Public claims and Pentagon responses
On April 10, 2021 [[The Debrief]] reported on leaked photographs and video attributed to the task force. The [[Pentagon]] spokesperson [[Susan Gough]] told the outlet: "I can confirm that the referenced photos and videos were taken by Navy personnel. The UAPTF has included these incidents in their ongoing examinations." Gough declined to comment on whether any objects in the images had been identified and cited operations security.[^15] [[Jeremy Corbell]] reported that the night-vision video relates to a July 2019 incident involving the [[USS Russell]] off San Diego.[^15]
On April 10, 2021 [[The Debrief]] reported on leaked photographs and video attributed to the task force. The [[Pentagon]] spokesperson [[Susan Gough]] told the outlet: "I can confirm that the referenced photos and videos were taken by Navy personnel. The UAPTF has included these incidents in their ongoing examinations." Gough declined to comment on whether any objects in the images had been identified and cited operations security.[^15] [[Jeremy Corbell]] reported that the night-vision video, which Corbell published on April 8, 2021, relates to a July 2019 incident involving the [[USS Russell]] off San Diego.[^15]
A December 2020 article in The Debrief described a photograph of a triangular object rising from the ocean. Emails of December 3 and 4, 2020, released under FOIA case 21-F-0299, include a message from the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations office to Susan Gough that reads "Jay [Stratton] tells me the photo is part of the active investigation, so it would probably be withheld from release for that reason."[^16] In a statement to The Black Vault, [[Jay Stratton]] said "I was handling multiple cases" at the time, and "We had photographs from F/A-18 pilots, instances of UAP that appeared triangular/pyramidal, and other unrelated cases." He said that no such photograph was received by the task force.[^16] The article's author, [[Tim McMillan]], told the same outlet that its information "came from multiple sources with direct access to early UAPTF intelligence documents."[^16]
On April 21, 2021 [[The Black Vault]] asked Gough whether her statement covered the leaked briefing slides. [[John Greenewald]] wrote that she replied: "The only thing that my statement confirms is that the photos and videos in that Mystery Wire article are photos and videos taken by Navy personnel. I have nothing for you on anything else in the article."[^16] The statement she forwarded said she was confirming that the cockpit photographs and videos the Mystery Wire article calls "Sphere," "Acorn" and "Metallic Blimp," and the videos taken with a night-vision device in the Extraordinary Beliefs article, "were taken by Navy personnel," and: "I have nothing for you regarding any other images or depictions in those articles." Greenewald wrote that in his reading the original statement applied to the briefing slides as well.[^16]
Corbell told [[Fox News]] on May 28, 2021: "The Pentagon did actually confirm that the footage that I obtained and released is authentic Navy footage."[^17]
At the May 17, 2022 House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing, Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence [[Scott Bray]] showed a night-vision video of triangles and said the Navy was "now reasonably confident that these triangles correlate to unmanned aerial systems in the area," the triangular appearance being "a result of light passing through the night vision goggles and then being recorded by an SLR camera." Committee chairman [[André Carson]] named "Mr. Corbell" in his opening statement.[^18]
A December 2020 article in The Debrief described a photograph of a triangular object rising from the ocean. Emails of December 3 and 4, 2020, released under FOIA case 21-F-0299, include a message from the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations office to Susan Gough that reads "Jay [Stratton] tells me the photo is part of the active investigation, so it would probably be withheld from release for that reason."[^19] In a statement to The Black Vault, [[Jay Stratton]] said "I was handling multiple cases" at the time, and "We had photographs from F/A-18 pilots, instances of UAP that appeared triangular/pyramidal, and other unrelated cases." He said that no such photograph was received by the task force.[^19] The article's author, [[Tim McMillan]], told the same outlet that its information "came from multiple sources with direct access to early UAPTF intelligence documents."[^19]
### Leadership and testimony
[[Luis Elizondo]]'s account identifies Jay Stratton as the task force's first director.[^17] [[Radiance Technologies]] announced on May 12, 2022 that Stratton had joined as a subject matter expert and described him as the first director of the UAPTF.[^18] [[George Knapp]] of [[KLAS-TV]] reported on May 24, 2022 that in January 2021 Stratton was "surprisingly transferred out of the job."[^19] Elizondo, in his 2024 book, says that Stratton built the task force from the ground up, that Stratton was named its first director after the Secretary of Defense announced it, and that the task force briefed members of Congress and the National Security Council. He also says that the [[Legacy Program]] pushed back against the task force's work.[^17]
[[Luis Elizondo]]'s account identifies Jay Stratton as the task force's first director.[^20] [[Radiance Technologies]] announced on May 12, 2022 that Stratton had joined as a subject matter expert and described him as the first director of the UAPTF.[^21] [[George Knapp]] of [[KLAS-TV]] reported on May 23, 2022 (posted 9:12 PM Pacific time) that in January 2021 Stratton was "surprisingly transferred out of the job."[^22] Elizondo, in his 2024 book, says that Stratton built the task force from the ground up, that Stratton was named its first director after the Secretary of Defense announced it, and that the task force briefed members of Congress and the National Security Council. He also says that the [[Legacy Program]] pushed back against the task force's work.[^20]
The witness record of the July 26, 2023 House Oversight subcommittee hearing lists [[David Grusch]] as "Former National Reconnaissance Office Representative, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, Department of Defense." In his written statement Grusch said that he was "my agency's co-lead in unidentified anomalous phenomena and trans medium object analysis" and was responsible for "reporting to the UAP Task Force." He said that he served as a reservist for the National Reconnaissance Office and "was a member of the UAP Task Force from 2019 to 2021."[^20] He said that "In 2019, the UAP Task Force Director asked me to identify all special access programs and controlled access programs," and that he was "informed in the course of my official duties of a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse engineering program to which I was denied access."[^20]
The witness record of the July 26, 2023 House Oversight subcommittee hearing lists [[David Grusch]] as "Former National Reconnaissance Office Representative, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, Department of Defense." In his written statement Grusch said that he was "my agency's co-lead in unidentified anomalous phenomena and trans medium object analysis" and was responsible for "reporting to the UAP Task Force." He said that he served as a reservist for the National Reconnaissance Office and "was a member of the UAP Task Force from 2019 to 2021."[^23] He said that "In 2019, the UAP Task Force Director asked me to identify all special access programs and controlled access programs," and that he was "informed in the course of my official duties of a multi-decade UAP crash retrieval and reverse engineering program to which I was denied access."[^23]
Asked by [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]] whether he sat on "the unidentified anomalous phenomenon task force created in the 2020 NDAA," Grusch answered "Yes." He also said that he "did actually help author" the task force's 2019 security classification guide, which he described as written "with the Director."[^20]
Asked by [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]] whether he sat on "the unidentified anomalous phenomenon task force created in the 2020 NDAA," Grusch answered "Yes." He also said that he "did actually help author" the task force's 2019 security classification guide, which he described as written "with the Director."[^23]
At the May 17, 2022 hearing, [[Scott Bray]] said that "Almost 2 years ago, in August of 2020, Deputy Secretary of Defense Norquist directed the establishment of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force within the Department of the Navy." The subcommittee chairman, [[André Carson]], called it "the third version of this task force in DOD."[^21] Asked about a reported incident at [[Malmstrom Air Force Base]], [[Ronald Moultrie]] passed the question to Bray. Bray said "That data is not within the holdings of the UAP Task Force," "I have not seen the official data on that," and "We have not looked at that incident."[^21] Asked about any government study between [[Project Blue Book]] and the [[Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program]], Moultrie said "I am familiar with Blue Book. I am familiar with AATIP. I haven't seen other documented studies that have been done by DOD in that regard."[^21]
At the May 17, 2022 hearing, Scott Bray said that "Almost 2 years ago, in August of 2020, Deputy Secretary of Defense Norquist directed the establishment of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force within the Department of the Navy." The subcommittee chairman, André Carson, called it "the third version of this task force in DOD."[^18] Asked about a reported incident at [[Malmstrom Air Force Base]], [[Ronald Moultrie]] passed the question to Bray. Bray said "That data is not within the holdings of the UAP Task Force," "I have not seen the official data on that," and "We have not looked at that incident."[^18] Asked about any government study between [[Project Blue Book]] and the [[Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program]], Moultrie said "I am familiar with Blue Book. I am familiar with AATIP. I haven't seen other documented studies that have been done by DOD in that regard."[^18]
### AATIP and the official account
Elizondo's account, which places him in charge of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), treats the UAPTF as its successor.[^17] An undated information memorandum from [[Garry Reid]], Director for Defense Intelligence in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, refers to events of December 18, 2017 and states: "To the best of my knowledge, he had no job responsibilities related to the AATIP. The AATIP was terminated in 2012." The same memorandum says that Elizondo "has provided three different explanations for his sudden resignation."[^22] Elizondo's resignation letter, dated October 3, 2017, took effect October 4, 2017, and is in the same release.[^22]
Elizondo's account, which places him in charge of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), treats the UAPTF as its successor.[^20] An undated information memorandum from [[Garry Reid]], Director for Defense Intelligence in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, refers to events of December 18, 2017 and states: "To the best of my knowledge, he had no job responsibilities related to the AATIP. The AATIP was terminated in 2012." The same memorandum says that Elizondo "has provided three different explanations for his sudden resignation."[^24] Elizondo's resignation letter, dated October 3, 2017, took effect October 4, 2017, and is in the same release.[^24]
The AARO historical record report of March 2024 says that "Unlike AAWSAP, AATIP was never an official DoD program," and that "AAWSAP/AATIP was terminated in 2012 upon the completion of its deliverables due to DIA and DoD concerns about the project." The report lists the UAPTF separately under the heading "August 2020-November 2021." It says the task force "helped standardize, destigmatize, and increase the volume of UAP reporting," and that its "methods and processes directly led to the identification of the People's Republic of China's (PRC) high altitude balloons that traversed over the continental United States." It attributes that last claim to "AARO discussions with UAPTF leadership."[^23]
The AARO historical record report of March 2024 says that "Unlike AAWSAP, AATIP was never an official DoD program," and that "AAWSAP/AATIP was terminated in 2012 upon the completion of its deliverables due to DIA and DoD concerns about the project." The report lists the UAPTF separately under the heading "August 2020-November 2021." It says the task force "helped standardize, destigmatize, and increase the volume of UAP reporting," and that its "methods and processes directly led to the identification of the People's Republic of China's (PRC) high altitude balloons that traversed over the continental United States." It attributes that last claim to "AARO discussions with UAPTF leadership."[^25]
### Successor offices and the statute
Deputy Secretary of Defense [[Kathleen Hicks]] directed the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security on November 23, 2021 to establish the AOIMSG "as the successor to the U.S. Navy's Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force," with an Airborne Object Identification and Management Executive Council (AOIMEXEC) to oversee it.[^3]
Section 1683 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, enacted December 27, 2021, required the Secretary of Defense, within 180 days, to establish an office "to carry out the duties of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act."[^24]
Section 1683 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, enacted December 27, 2021, required the Secretary of Defense, within 180 days, to establish an office "to carry out the duties of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act."[^26]
A memorandum dated July 15, 2022 established the AARO "to carry out the duties that were to be fulfilled by the AOIMSG." It directed the Secretary of the Navy to "disestablish the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) no later than the date the AARO is established," and to support "the transfer of any data, analysis, or other relevant material, to the AARO."[^4]
Section 1683 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, enacted December 23, 2022, required an office, to be established within 120 days, "to carry out the duties of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, as in effect on December 26, 2021." The office was to be "known as the 'All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office.'"[^25] Section 1673 of the same act directs a secure mechanism for reporting "any activity or program by a department or agency of the Federal Government or a contractor of such a department or agency relating to unidentified anomalous phenomena, including with respect to material retrieval, material analysis, reverse engineering, research and development."[^25]
Section 1683 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, enacted December 23, 2022, required an office, to be established within 120 days, "to carry out the duties of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, as in effect on December 26, 2021." The office was to be "known as the 'All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office.'"[^27] Section 1673 of the same act directs a secure mechanism for reporting "any activity or program by a department or agency of the Federal Government or a contractor of such a department or agency relating to unidentified anomalous phenomena, including with respect to material retrieval, material analysis, reverse engineering, research and development."[^27]
The AARO report says that AOIMSG "had not achieved initial operating capability before subsequent legislation in the FY2022 NDAA resulted in it being renamed to AARO."[^23] The July 15, 2022 memorandum states that its amendments were approved "to meet the DoD requirements in section 1683 of the NDAA for FY 2022."[^4]
The AARO report says that AOIMSG "had not achieved initial operating capability before subsequent legislation in the FY2022 NDAA resulted in it being renamed to AARO."[^25] The July 15, 2022 memorandum states that its amendments were approved "to meet the DoD requirements in section 1683 of the NDAA for FY 2022."[^4]
### Footnotes
@ -116,13 +122,15 @@ The AARO report says that AOIMSG "had not achieved initial operating capability
[^13]: Office of the Director of National Intelligence, "Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena," June 25, 2021, pp. 2 to 9. https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/Prelimary-Assessment-UAP-20210625.pdf
[^14]: House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, and Counterproliferation, hearing "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena," May 17, 2022, transcript, remarks of [[Adam Schiff]], who said the ODNI reported "144 UAPs between 2004 and 2021, 80 percent of which were recorded on multiple instruments"; the ODNI report counts 80 of 144. https://www.congress.gov/117/meeting/house/114761/documents/HHRG-117-IG05-Transcript-20220517.pdf
[^15]: Susan Gough as quoted in Tim McMillan's report "Pentagon Confirms Leaked UFO Images Are Authentic," The Debrief, April 10, 2021. https://thedebrief.org/pentagon-confirms-leaked-ufo-images-are-authentic/
[^16]: The Black Vault, "FOIA-Released Emails Mention Alleged Triangular UAP Photo; Former UAP Task Force Director Speaks Out," FOIA case 21-F-0299, reproducing emails of December 3 and 4, 2020 and a statement from Jay Stratton. https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/foia-released-emails-mention-alleged-triangular-uap-photo-former-uap-task-force-director-speaks-out/
[^17]: Luis Elizondo, *Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs* (New York: William Morrow, 2024). Sole source for the passages so cited.
[^18]: "John F. Stratton Jr. Joins Radiance Technologies as SME for Intel Strategy," Radiance Technologies, PR Newswire, May 12, 2022, read in the Internet Archive capture of the same date. https://web.archive.org/web/20220512145721/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/john-f-stratton-jr-joins-radiance-technologies-as-sme-for-intel-strategy-301546258.html
[^19]: George Knapp, "More UFO hearings? Congress might consider hearing from these 2 men," 8 News Now (KLAS), May 24, 2022. https://digital-release.8newsnow.com/?p=1136519
[^20]: David Grusch, statement, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, hearing "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Implications on National Security, Public Safety, and Government Transparency," July 26, 2023, witness list and question period. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-118hhrg53022/html/CHRG-118hhrg53022.htm
[^21]: House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, and Counterproliferation, hearing "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena," May 17, 2022, statements of Ronald S. Moultrie and Scott W. Bray, the chairman's opening remarks, and the question period. https://www.congress.gov/117/meeting/house/114761/documents/HHRG-117-IG05-Transcript-20220517.pdf
[^22]: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, information memoranda from Garry Reid, Director for Defense Intelligence, "Response to Your Questions on the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) and Actions of Former DoD Employee Luis Elizondo," and "Update on Media Reporting Related to the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program," both undated, with Elizondo's resignation letter at Tab B. https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/FOID/Reading%20Room/UFOsandUAPs/18-F-0324_Docs.pdf
[^23]: All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, "Report on the Historical Record of U.S. Government Involvement with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), Volume I," cleared for open publication March 6, 2024, pp. 22 to 24 and notes 69 to 70. https://media.defense.gov/2024/Mar/08/2003409233/-1/-1/0/DOPSR-2024-0263-AARO-HISTORICAL-RECORD-REPORT-VOLUME-1-2024.PDF
[^24]: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, Public Law 117-81, Sec. 1683, "Establishment of office, organizational structure, and authorities to address unidentified aerial phenomena." https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-117publ81/html/PLAW-117publ81.htm
[^25]: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, Public Law 117-263, Sec. 1683, "Establishment of All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office," and Sec. 1673, "Unidentified anomalous phenomena reporting procedures" (50 U.S.C. 3373b). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-117publ263/html/PLAW-117publ263.htm
[^16]: John Greenewald, "Confusion Surrounds Leaked UFO Images; Pentagon Declines to Comment," The Black Vault, April 22, 2021. https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/confusion-surrounds-leaked-ufo-images-pentagon-declines-to-comment/
[^17]: Charles Creitz, Fox News, May 28, 2021, "Leaked footage of UFO 'harassing' US warship is 'authentic': Jeremy Corbell." https://www.foxnews.com/media/leaked-footage-ufo-harassing-us-warship-authentic.amp
[^18]: House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, and Counterproliferation, hearing "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena," May 17, 2022, statements of Ronald S. Moultrie and Scott W. Bray, the chairman's opening remarks, and the question period. https://www.congress.gov/117/meeting/house/114761/documents/HHRG-117-IG05-Transcript-20220517.pdf
[^19]: The Black Vault, "FOIA-Released Emails Mention Alleged Triangular UAP Photo; Former UAP Task Force Director Speaks Out," FOIA case 21-F-0299, reproducing emails of December 3 and 4, 2020 and a statement from Jay Stratton. https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/foia-released-emails-mention-alleged-triangular-uap-photo-former-uap-task-force-director-speaks-out/
[^20]: Luis Elizondo, *Imminent: Inside the Pentagon's Hunt for UFOs* (New York: William Morrow, 2024).
[^21]: "John F. Stratton Jr. Joins Radiance Technologies as SME for Intel Strategy," Radiance Technologies, PR Newswire, May 12, 2022, read in the Internet Archive capture of the same date. https://web.archive.org/web/20220512145721/https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/john-f-stratton-jr-joins-radiance-technologies-as-sme-for-intel-strategy-301546258.html
[^22]: George Knapp, "More UFO hearings? Congress might consider hearing from these 2 men," 8 News Now (KLAS), posted May 23, 2022, 9:12 PM Pacific time, https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/more-ufo-hearings-congress-might-consider-hearing-from-these-2-men/
[^23]: David Grusch, statement, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, hearing "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Implications on National Security, Public Safety, and Government Transparency," July 26, 2023, witness list and question period. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-118hhrg53022/html/CHRG-118hhrg53022.htm
[^24]: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, information memoranda from Garry Reid, Director for Defense Intelligence, "Response to Your Questions on the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) and Actions of Former DoD Employee Luis Elizondo," and "Update on Media Reporting Related to the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program," both undated, with Elizondo's resignation letter at Tab B. https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/FOID/Reading%20Room/UFOsandUAPs/18-F-0324_Docs.pdf
[^25]: All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, "Report on the Historical Record of U.S. Government Involvement with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), Volume I," cleared for open publication March 6, 2024, pp. 22 to 24 and notes 69 to 70. https://media.defense.gov/2024/Mar/08/2003409233/-1/-1/0/DOPSR-2024-0263-AARO-HISTORICAL-RECORD-REPORT-VOLUME-1-2024.PDF
[^26]: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, Public Law 117-81, Sec. 1683, "Establishment of office, organizational structure, and authorities to address unidentified aerial phenomena." https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-117publ81/html/PLAW-117publ81.htm
[^27]: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, Public Law 117-263, Sec. 1683, "Establishment of All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office," and Sec. 1673, "Unidentified anomalous phenomena reporting procedures" (50 U.S.C. 3373b). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-117publ263/html/PLAW-117publ263.htm