Declassified UFO / UAP Document
HAZARD REPORT OF, Unidentified aerial vehicles operating in W-72 without coordinating with controlling agencies.
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AI-Generated Summary
VFA-11 aircrew reported four unidentified aerial devices in restricted airspace W-72 on April 23, 2014. The Commanding Officer warned that the lack of coordination for these devices poses a severe midair collision risk.
On April 23, 2014, at 2251 local time, aircrew from Strike Fighter Squadron 11 (VFA-11) operating an F/A-18F aircraft encountered unidentified aerial devices (UADs) within the exclusive-use restricted airspace W-72, specifically sectors 2A and 2B. The aircrew identified two radar trackfiles, designated HUAD1 and HUAD2, which were not communicating with controlling agencies. Radar data indicated HUAD1 was at 15,000 feet and HUAD2 was at 12,000 feet, both traveling at 0.0 Mach. Using onboard sensors, the aircrew confirmed these were small, infrared-significant objects rather than false radar returns. While tracking these objects, the aircrew observed two additional, non-radar-significant objects, designated HUAD3 and HUAD4, moving at high speed through the FLIR field-of-view approximately 5 nautical miles away. The incident was formally reported as a flight hazard, categorized as a moderate risk. The Commanding Officer of VFA-11 noted that this was the squadron's second such encounter in ten months, warning that the lack of coordination for these aerial devices poses a severe threat to Naval Aviation and could lead to a midair collision. The report concludes with multiple recommendations to brief all UAV operators and activities operating within W-72 regarding the necessity of coordination.
Although this report is primarily submitted for tracking purposes, it is only a matter of time before this results in a midair in W-72.
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Official Assessment
UADs operating in controlled airspace without prior coordination and communication pose a severe threat to Naval Aviation.
The squadron encountered four unidentified aerial devices in restricted airspace W-72. Two were tracked on radar and verified by onboard sensors as IR-significant, while two others were observed via FLIR. The Commanding Officer noted this was the second such occurrence in ten months and warned of the risk of a midair collision.