Government24 Jun 2009Washington, D.C.

Senator Reid asks for restricted special access status for AAWSAP

Name: Senator Reid asks for restricted special access status for AAWSAP
Start: 2009-06-24
Location: Washington, D.C.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who sent the 2009 request for special access status United States Congress, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wrote to Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn asking for a restricted special access program for parts of the DIA aerospace study he called AATIP, citing sensitive findings. A November 2009 DIA review found no justification for the protection.

Evidence

Significance

Sources

OfficialLetter from Sen. Harry Reid to Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn III, June 24, 2009 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Senate, Office of the Majority Leader (copy hosted by The Black Vault) / 2009-06-24
OfficialDIA info memo U-09-2660, Review of Special Access Program Request, Nov 13, 2009 (opens in a new tab)U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (copy hosted by The Black Vault) / 2009-11-13
OtherHarry Reid And His AATIP Letter: The Mystery Deepens (opens in a new tab)The Black Vault / 2021-04-28

How sources are chosen and tiered

25 Jun 2021Government

ODNI preliminary assessment

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a preliminary assessment of military UAP reports from 2004 to 2021. It explained one case with high confidence, a deflating balloon, and said limited data left the rest unresolved.

Evidence

Significance

27 Dec 2021Government

FY2022 NDAA writes a permanent UAP office and annual reports into law

The FY2022 defense bill, signed Dec. 27, 2021, ordered the Pentagon and intelligence community to set up an office on unidentified aerial phenomena, with unclassified annual reports and semiannual classified briefings to Congress. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand pushed the provision.

Evidence

Significance

17 May 2022Government

First public UAP hearing in decades

A House Intelligence subcommittee held an open hearing on UAP with Under Secretary of Defense Ronald Moultrie and Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence Scott Bray, who showed newly declassified video. It was described as the first open congressional hearing on the subject in about 50 years.

Evidence

Significance

9 Jun 2022Government

NASA announces UAP independent study team

NASA said it would commission an independent team, chaired by astrophysicist David Spergel, to study unidentified aerial phenomena using only unclassified data and recommend how NASA could help. The 16-member team began work in October 2022.

Evidence

Significance