DOW-UAP-PR40, Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, 2020

Plain-English Summary

• What happened:The United States Central Command submitted a report of an unidentified anomalous phenomenon to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) consisting of one minute and three seconds of video footage from an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform in 2020. The original reporter digitally altered the imagery by pausing the video playback and adding a white line encircling an area of interest at timestamp 00:10, annotated with the phrase “U/I SMALL THERMAL SIGNATURE.” AARO did not edit the originally reported material, and this media is presented as received. Video Description: 00:00-00:09: An area of contrast brightens within the sensor field-of-view, becoming increasingly distinct against the background. 00:10-00:14: Playback pauses to display a white line encircling an area of interest, annotated with the phrase “U/I SMALL THERMAL SIGNATURE.” 00:15-01:03: Playback resumes, with the sensor panning to track the area of contrast against the background, generally maintaining the area of contrast’s position within the top third of the display area. During this period, the sensor cycles through several contrast and zoom settings. This video description is provided for informational purposes only. Readers should not interpret any part of this description as reflecting an analytical judgment, investigative conclusion, or factual determination regarding the described event’s validity, nature, or significance.
• Who reported it:Department of War
• What evidence exists:video
• What the government says:The United States Central Command submitted a report of an unidentified anomalous phenomenon to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) consisting of one minute and three seconds of video footage from an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform in 2020. The original reporter digitally altered the imagery by pausing the video playback and adding a white line encircling an area of interest at timestamp 00:10, annotated with the phrase “U/I SMALL THERMAL SIGNATURE.” AARO did not edit the originally reported material, and this media is presented as received. Video Description: 00:00-00:09: An area of contrast brightens within the sensor field-of-view, becoming increasingly distinct against the background. 00:10-00:14: Playback pauses to display a white line encircling an area of interest, annotated with the phrase “U/I SMALL THERMAL SIGNATURE.” 00:15-01:03: Playback resumes, with the sensor panning to track the area of contrast against the background, generally maintaining the area of contrast’s position within the top third of the display area. During this period, the sensor cycles through several contrast and zoom settings. This video description is provided for informational purposes only. Readers should not interpret any part of this description as reflecting an analytical judgment, investigative conclusion, or factual determination regarding the described event’s validity, nature, or significance.
• What remains unclear:Not provided in source.

Key Facts

Title

DOW-UAP-PR40, Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, 2020

Release

Release 01

Release date

2026-05-08

Incident date

—

Agency

Department of War

Location

Arabian Gulf

Location precision

region_only

Status

unknown

Source domain

war.gov

Media Gallery

• dvids_video
  Unresolved UAP Report, Arabian Gulf, 2020
  View originalwww.dvidshub.net↗

Skeptical / Mundane Explanations

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What we still don't know

Open questions haven't been catalogued for this record yet. What the released material does and doesn't establish is summarized above.

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