Pentagon should release UFO report, Senate intelligence committee argues

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) (L) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), vice chair and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, are pictured speaking to the press in 2018.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) (L) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), vice chair and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, are pictured speaking to the press in 2018. (Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The Pentagon should release a public report on UFOs, argues the U.S. Senate intelligence committee. In addition to requiring a public report, the committee plans to impose new rules on how the Department of Defense (DOD) shares information about UFOs.

Unidentified flying objects — a term that refers to objects that are literally unidentified, not necessarily suspected alien spacecraft — have made the news several times in recent years. The New York Times has reported on the  Pentagon's efforts to track and study UFOs. And the DOD has confirmed the authenticity of videos from U.S. military planes showing flying objects of unknown nature and origin. Now the Senate committee wants to regulate the Pentagon's tracking effort, according to the committee's Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. The rule will be part of the 2021 intelligence authorization bill, which Congress has yet to pass.

"The Committee supports the efforts of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon Task Force at the Office of Naval Intelligence [ONI] to standardize collection and reporting on unidentified aerial phenomenon, any links they have to adversarial foreign governments, and the threat they pose to U.S. military assets and installations," the report states.

Related: UFO watch: 8 times the government looked for flying saucers

However, according to the committee's report, "there is no unified, comprehensive process" for collecting information on unidentified aerial phenomena, "despite the potential threat."

This announcement, Agence France-Presse pointed out, appears to represent the first confirmation that the ONI is still tracking these objects in a systematic way. Federal officials previously said that a program along these lines existed, but ended in 2012. UFO writer Roger Glassel confirmed in May, based on an email exchange with a Navy representative, the existence of an "interagency team" led by the U.S. Navy and focused on "unidentified aerial phenomena."

The committee instructed the Director of National Intelligence and other agency heads to submit a report within 180 days with a number of details about the ONI's investigation. The report must include details about what the federal government knows about "intrusions" into restricted U.S. airspace and other unidentified flying objects, as well as a plan to firm up intelligence collection and sharing on the subject.

"The report shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex," the committee wrote. 

That means at least some of this information should become public when and if the report arrives.

Originally published on Live Science.

OFFER: Save 45% on 'All About Space' 'How it Works' and 'All About History'!

<a href="https://www.space.com/your-favorite-magazines-space-science-deal-discount.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" target="_blank">OFFER: Save 45% on 'All About Space' 'How it Works' and 'All About History'!

For a limited time, you can take out a digital subscription to any of <a href="https://www.space.com/your-favorite-magazines-space-science-deal-discount.html" data-link-merchant="space.com"" data-link-merchant="space.com"" target="_blank">our best-selling science magazines for just $2.38 per month, or 45% off the standard price for the first three months.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Rafi Letzter
Contributor

Rafi wrote for Live Science from 2017 until 2021, when he became a technical writer for IBM Quantum. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of journalism. You can find his past science reporting at Inverse, Business Insider and Popular Science, and his past photojournalism on the Flash90 wire service and in the pages of The Courier Post of southern New Jersey.

  • Joe Frisco
    Admin said:
    The Pentagon should release a public report on UFOs, argues the U.S. Senate intelligence committee. In addition to requiring a public report, the committee plans to impose new rules on how the Department of Defense (DOD) shares information about UFOs.

    Pentagon should release UFO report, Senate intelligence committee argues : Read more
    I will wait until Thunderf00t has a go at analyzing it's, more than likely, terrestrial origin.
    Reply
  • Ataner
    No.. no information ,No sharing . People are ready. I can see it now.. people freaking out.
    Reply
  • William Kacensky
    Joe Frisco said:
    I will wait until Thunderf00t has a go at analyzing it's, more than likely, terrestrial origin.

    I can tell you with 100% accuracy, these highly advanced surveillance probes ARE exteresterial. My recent close, daytime HD clear video footage, leaves no doubt about it. My first rodeo was 57 years ago. Its no big deal to me, because there is absolutly nothing our primitive civilization can do about it. Your only hope, they do not become aggressive.
    Reply
  • William Kacensky
    Highly Advanced Intelligently Controlled Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon DOES EXIST. Period. No ands ifs or butts. Anyone in the scientific arena and I mean anyone who wants to challenge me on my statement. I can prove it. Be ready to rewrite history.
    Reply
  • COLGeek
    William Kacensky said:
    Highly Advanced Intelligently Controlled Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon DOES EXIST. Period. No ands ifs or butts. Anyone in the scientific arena and I mean anyone who wants to challenge me on my statement. I can prove it. Be ready to rewrite history.
    Okay. Prove it. Standing by.
    Reply
  • William Kacensky
    Again, state who you are in the scientific community? I play no game here and will not tolerate it. I will go else where.
    Reply
  • COLGeek
    William Kacensky said:
    Again, state who you are in the scientific community? I play no game here and will not tolerate it. I will go else where.
    Then feel free to go elsewhere. I am one of the official moderators on the site.

    You made a bold claim that would be of interest to many members of this community. We await your evidence.
    Reply
  • William Kacensky
    This tells me nothing. I will go elsewhere. Your loss not mine.
    Reply
  • COLGeek
    William Kacensky said:
    This tells me nothing. I will go elsewhere. Your loss not mine.
    If you had legitimate material, it would be welcomed nearly anywhere. I wish you well.
    Reply
  • William Kacensky
    COLGeek said:
    Okay. Prove it. Standing by.

    Are you a scientist or astrophysicist? If not then I am not wasting my time. If yes then send me provable creditionals.
    Reply