Letter from The Under Secretary of the Navy to The Honorable Mark Walker regarding UAP

This document is a formal letter dated July 31, 2019, from Thomas B. Modly, the Under Secretary of the Navy, to Representative Mark Walker of the U.S. House of Representatives. The letter serves as a response to a previous inquiry from Representative Walker dated July 16, 2019, concerning unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). In the letter, the Under Secretary acknowledges that the Department of the Navy (DON) has received numerous reports of unauthorized or unidentified aircraft entering military-controlled training ranges and designated airspace. The DON states that it takes these reports seriously and continues to investigate them. The document highlights the increasing challenge posed by the proliferation and availability of inexpensive unmanned aerial systems (UAS), which complicates airspace de-confliction for naval aviators. To mitigate these issues, the DON has provided reporting guidance to aircrews to help determine the frequency and location of UAS activity. Furthermore, the DON emphasizes its commitment to dedicating resources to track and investigate these incursions to ensure the safety of its personnel. The letter notes that the DON is working in alignment with the Department of Defense (DoD) and other interagency partners to better understand these events. Finally, the Under Secretary reaffirms the Department's commitment to providing updates to Congress, specifically identifying the House Armed Services Committee as the primary point of contact for future information regarding this topic.