‘Wow, What Is That?’ Navy Pilots Report Unexplained Flying Objects

This article, published by The New York Times on May 26, 2019, details reports from United States Navy pilots regarding unexplained aerial phenomena observed along the East Coast between the summer of 2014 and March 2015. Pilots, including Lt. Ryan Graves, described objects that appeared to move against the wind and exhibited performance characteristics—such as reaching 30,000 feet and achieving hypersonic speeds—that exceeded known aircraft capabilities. These objects lacked visible engines or infrared exhaust plumes. One specific incident in late 2014 involved a near-collision between a Super Hornet and one of the objects, resulting in an official mishap report. Some encounters were captured on video by aircraft cameras. While the Defense Department has not attributed these sightings to extraterrestrial origins and maintains that earthly explanations are often possible, the frequency and nature of the sightings prompted the Navy to issue new classified guidance for reporting such unexplained aerial phenomena. The pilots involved, who operated out of the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt during training maneuvers from Virginia to Florida, have made no claims regarding the origin of the objects.