Pentagon's AARO Investigates Anomalous Phenomena Amid Congressional Demands for Transparency

The U.S. Department of Defense, operating through the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), is actively pursuing official investigations into Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). This work is critically focused on assessing potential threats to national security and determining if foreign adversaries are engaging in technological espionage. AARO officially replaced several preceding entities, such as the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF), when it was established in July 2022.

As of August 2024, the office, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is led by Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick. Dr. Kirkpatrick transitioned to this role after serving at the National Security Agency (NSA), where his expertise centered on advanced research in quantum optics and cryptomathematics. His background underscores the high-tech nature of the challenges AARO faces in analyzing these complex aerial observations.

The most recent annual report issued by AARO, covering the 2024 fiscal year, was released in November 2024. This document confirmed that a subset of observed aerial events remains inexplicable using conventional analytical methods. The reporting period spanned from May 1, 2023, through June 1, 2024. During this time, AARO received 757 new reports, pushing the cumulative total of reports analyzed by June 2024 to over 1,600 incidents.

Dr. Kirkpatrick provided clarification on the findings, noting that only 21 cases were ultimately categorized as 'true anomalies' warranting deeper scrutiny. The vast majority of submissions were resolved through prosaic explanations, such as misidentification of weather balloons, flocks of birds, or commercial drones. He stressed that less than 3.5 percent of the total cases retain anomalous characteristics that could potentially suggest breakthroughs in unknown technology.

The U.S. Congress is tightening its oversight of AARO's operations, pushing for greater openness concerning UAP incidents. A significant legislative mandate was included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (NDAA FY 2026), which was signed into law in December 2025. This act legally compels the Pentagon to furnish Congress with comprehensive reports detailing UAP intercepts conducted by both the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), dating back to 2004.

This new provision aims to consolidate all UAP data under AARO's purview and mandate the disclosure of classification rules that may have previously hampered effective oversight. Furthermore, these legislative efforts emphasize the necessity of eliminating the stigma associated with reporting such occurrences—a key priority for the current leadership. It is crucial to get these reports on the table.

AARO’s mission, coordinated closely with the broader Intelligence Community, is designed to prevent technical or intelligence surprises by standardizing the detection, identification, and mitigation procedures for UAPs near sensitive national security installations. Dr. Kirkpatrick, who holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, confirmed that his team is focused on enhancing data collection protocols and developing new sensor capabilities. They are also working diligently to declassify and release relevant UAP records to the maximum extent permissible.

While AARO has not yet uncovered empirical evidence confirming extraterrestrial technology, the core mission remains fixed on identifying potential threats, including those posed by the advanced technologies of near-peer adversaries. Data collection efforts are extensive, involving the painstaking search for archival film footage. In numerous historical instances, such film was recycled or destroyed due to the high costs associated with long-term storage, creating a significant archival challenge for AARO personnel.

Iconic video evidence captured by U.S. Navy fighter jets continues to serve as foundational material. This includes the well-known footage dubbed 'Gimbal,' 'GoFast,' and 'Tic Tac,' all of which depict maneuvers that appear to defy known human technological capabilities. Consequently, the current phase of this investigation is marked by the institutionalization of the UAP response framework, placing a strong emphasis on scientific rigor and strict adherence to legislative mandates.