UAP Reporting Trends 1996-2023

This document, produced by the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) and cleared for public release on April 17, 2023, provides a high-level summary of UAP reporting trends observed between 1996 and 2023. The report utilizes graphical data to categorize UAP sightings by altitude, morphology, and global distribution. Regarding altitude, the data indicates a significant concentration of reports occurring between 5,000 and 30,000 feet, with the highest percentage of reports occurring at the 20,000-foot level. The morphology of reported UAP is dominated by round, orb, or sphere-shaped objects, which constitute 47% of all reports. Other categories include ambiguous sensor contacts (19%), lights (16%), and various geometric shapes such as ovals, cylinders, disks, triangles, rectangles, squares, polygons, and tic-tacs, each representing a small percentage of the total. The document also outlines typical characteristics of these phenomena. Physically, the objects are described as being 1-4 meters in size and white, silver, or translucent in color. Performance metrics indicate a speed range from stationary to Mach 2, with no detectable thermal exhaust. Signature analysis reveals that these objects are often detected via intermittent X-Band radar (8-12 GHz), radio frequencies between 1-3 GHz and 8-12 GHz, and thermal signatures consistent with shortwave and medium-wave infrared. A global heatmap included in the document illustrates that reported UAP hotspots are concentrated in specific regions across North America, the Middle East, and East Asia. The document serves as an official overview of the data collected by the Department of Defense regarding these phenomena.