Inside the Pentagon's Secret UFO Program

This investigative report by Popular Mechanics explores the history and internal contradictions of the U.S. government's involvement in UFO research, specifically focusing on the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) and the Advanced Aerospace Weapons Systems Applications Program (AAWSAP). The article details how the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) contracted Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) to conduct research on anomalous phenomena. The investigation reveals that while the Pentagon has publicly issued contradictory statements—at times claiming these programs were not UAP-related—insiders and documentation suggest a sustained, albeit secretive, interest in studying UFOs. A central theme is the use of 'black budget' funding and the classification of data as 'commercial property' of BAASS to circumvent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The report highlights the role of Luis Elizondo, a former senior intelligence official who led AATIP, and his efforts to bring attention to the reality of UAP. It also discusses the 2009 'Ten Month Report' produced by BAASS, which contained extensive data on UAP, including biological effects and sightings near nuclear facilities. The article concludes that the government's denial of these programs appears to be a strategic effort to maintain secrecy, while evidence suggests that efforts to examine UAP remain ongoing within the intelligence community.