The U.S. Navy just confirmed the legitimacy of three videos of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), including one taken off of the coast of Jacksonville in 2015. In an official statement to The Black Vault, Navy spokesperson Joseph Gradisher acknowledged the UFO’s in the video as Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).

The Department of Defense (DoD) video dubbed ‘GO FAST,’  is an infrared video taken by a F/A-18 flying over the Atlantic, off the coast of Jacksonville. The object appears to be a saucer-like shape and is tracked by the fighter jet’s Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) according to To The Stars Academy of Arts and Science (TTSA).

The speed of the object, it’s abnormal shape, and the lack of normal heat signatures deem the object unidentifiable. TTSA’s analysis points out the object would normally appear to have wings if it were a plane, or even a cruise missile. The object also does not exhibit an exhaust plume that would be visible from a conventional aircraft on the mid-wave infrared frequency the video is recorded at.

Although the flying object remains unidentified, it does not definitively mean we have been paid a visit from E.T. The sighting could be attributed to an array of things, from an unmanned aerial vehicle, to a simple technological malfunction. However, the romantic idea of aliens seems to have captured the minds of many.

The videos originally published by the New York Times and TTSA in December of 2017 were reportedly not declassified or cleared for public release by the Navy or Department of Defense. The videos have since been declassified, and stripped of locational data. 

In the wake of public criticism following the videos released in 2017, in April of 2019 the Navy released new guidelines for military personnel to report unidentified aircraft and unexplained sightings. In an effort to get rid of the stigma shrouding UFO reports, the official terminology was changed to UAP. The move was an attempt to help improve safety and security for aviators and other service members. 

___

For more information or news tips, or if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns, contact editor@unfspinnaker.com.