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Gulf Insider
14-07-2025
- General
- Gulf Insider
Military Aircraft's Mysterious Crash Sparks UFO
An unexplained collision between a U.S. military aircraft and an unidentified flying object, detailed in declassified documents, has sparked renewed questions about whether aliens have entered American airspace. The incident occurred in January 2023, when an unidentified object struck the left side of an F-16 Viper fighter jet during a training exercise near Gila Bend, Arizona. The flying object impacted the clear 'canopy' at the top of the aircraft and was first seen by an instructor pilot seated in the rear of the plane, officials said. An initial investigation found no damage to the nearly $70 million jet, and officials ruled out a possible bird strike. Authorities ultimately concluded that the aircraft had been hit by a drone. However, the drone's origin and operator remain unknown, a spokesperson said. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) documents obtained by The War Zone, the crash marked the first of four encounters with unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) reported the following day. The unusual incident was confirmed to Fox News by an Air Force spokesperson. 'According to military personnel I've personally met with, there were objects 200 miles off the East Coast that were extensively loitering and had no visible means of propulsion,' UFO expert James Fox said in an interview with Fox News . 'So a report from 2023 about an actual impact with a UAP doesn't really surprise me.' Previously declassified documents from the Department of Defense reveal that between May 1, 2023, and June 1, 2024, there were 757 reported incidents involving unidentified flying objects. Of those, only 49 have been deemed 'case closed' by the Pentagon. While the presence of unidentified flying objects may raise alarms, James Fox says the phenomenon is far from new. 'There are reports dating back to the 1930s and 1940s,' the UFO researcher said. 'Where you had mysterious, glowing, and orb-like objects that emitted very bright light that could just fly rings around the military planes from World War II.' 'This has been well-documented for decades,' he added. 'So either we've managed to track the same thing it's been, [possibly] non-human intelligence, since the 1940s. Or someone has managed to replicate the technology, reverse engineer it and they're flying it around.' In 2020, President Donald Trump hinted at intriguing knowledge about the infamous Roswell incident during an interview with his son, Donald Trump Jr. 'I won't talk to you about what I know about it, but it's very interesting,' Trump said. Not everyone is convinced. Elon Musk remains skeptical that aliens have ever visited Earth. 'I've not seen any evidence of aliens,' Musk told the Milken Institute Global Conference last year. 'And SpaceX, with the Starlink constellation, has roughly 6,000 satellites, and not once have we had to maneuver around a UFO. […] Never. So I'm like, okay, I don't see any evidence of aliens.' Also read: Putin Shifts Iran Stance? Now Reportedly Supports Zero Enrichment Plan Backed By US
New York Post
13-07-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Military jet's mysterious collision raises questions about UFOs in US airspace: ‘Been here all along'
Declassified documents revealing a United States military aircraft was previously struck by an unknown flying object is raising eyebrows as experts point to other unexplainable sightings suggesting otherworldly technology flying within the country's airspace. The incident occurred in January 2023, after an unidentified object collided with the left side of an F-16 Viper jet participating in training exercises near Gila Benda, Arizona, an Air Force spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital. Advertisement The flying object struck the clear 'canopy' at the top of the aircraft and was first spotted by an instructor pilot sitting in the rear of the plane, officials said. An initial investigation determined no damage was done to the near $70 million jet, with officials ruling against a possible bird strike. Authorities ultimately determined the aircraft was struck by a drone, but the location and operator of the device have yet to be determined, the spokesperson said. The incident was the first of four encounters with unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) that were reported a day later, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) documents obtained by the War Zone. Advertisement 'According to military personnel I've personally met with, there were objects 200 miles off the East Coast that were extensively loitering and had no visible means of propulsion,' James Fox, a director specializing in films about UFO activity, told Fox News Digital. 'So a report from 2023 about an actual impact with a UAP doesn't really surprise me.' An Air Force F-16 jet collided with an unknown object during a training exercise in Arizona in 2023, according to declassified documents. NurPhoto via Getty Images The concerning collision comes as the Department of Defense reported 757 incidents involving UAPs from May 1, 2023, to June 1, 2024, according to an unclassified document released by the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office. Of those encounters, 708 occurred in the air, with only 49 instances marked as 'case closed' by officials. Additionally, the department received 18 reports regarding UAP incidents near nuclear infrastructure, launch sites and weapons, according to the report. Advertisement 'None of these resolved cases substantiated advanced foreign adversarial capabilities or breakthrough aerospace technologies,' the report states. The sightings of UAPs near military sites are nothing new, according to Fox. 'There are reports dating back to the 1930s and 1940s,' Fox said. 'Where you had mysterious, glowing, and orb-like objects that emitted very bright light that could just fly rings around the military planes from World War II.' Advertisement Fox pointed to the sheer advanced technology showcased within these sightings, such as aircraft that do not emit a heat signature or have the ability to fly stationary in high wind conditions. 'This has been well-documented for decades,' Fox said. 'So either we've managed to track the same thing it's been, [possibly] non-human intelligence, since the 1940s. Or someone has managed to replicate the technology, reverse engineer it and they're flying it around.' In 2020, the Department of Defense established an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) to further research and investigate the various UAPs spotted throughout American skies. 'The mission of the task force is to detect, analyze and catalog UAPs that could potentially pose a threat to US national security,' the department said in a statement. Fox also cited officials' use of updated technology to pinpoint the location and characteristics of UAPs possibly contributing to the influx in reports over recent years. According to FAA documents, the Arizona incident was the first of four encounters with UAPs reported a day later. ktsdesign – 'They've adjusted the frequency on particular radars to pick up smaller objects that maybe have been here all along,' Fox said, adding, 'it's a global phenomenon exhibiting the technology that's just lightyears ahead from anything we have. Has there been a successful effort in reverse engineering? [If not], then it falls into the category that many would say is non-human intelligence.' While a vast majority of UAPs spotted by officials are quickly identified, Fox insists there are a select few that have origins unknown to even the highest of government authorities and do not match the technology owned by the country's adversaries. Advertisement Every morning, the NY POSTcast offers a deep dive into the headlines with the Post's signature mix of politics, business, pop culture, true crime and everything in between. Subscribe here! 'A small percentage of these objects display a technology that's just light-years beyond anything that we or anybody else on the planet has,' Fox said. 'Which would imply, once you do the process of elimination, if it isn't Russia or China, and if it's not us, what's left?' Fox also attributes overall public skepticism regarding UAPs to the US government remaining tight-lipped about its findings over the years. Advertisement However, officials have continued to work toward transparency with the American public, with a congressional hearing on UFOs occurring for the first time in decades in 2022 and continuing to take place on the floors of Congress. 'The primary reason for secrecy is that it's difficult for any governing body to admit that there are structured craft of unknown origin whizzing around with impunity,' Fox said. 'They fly rings around our fastest jets, and [the government] doesn't know who they are, where they come from or what they want.'
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
'It wasn't a bird': Mysterious object strikes US Air Force's $70 million F-16 mid-air. Here's wat the Pentagon knows
In a bizarre incident reported by Fox News, a U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper fighter jet was allegedly struck by an unidentified flying object (UFO) during a training exercise over Gila Bend, Arizona, in January 2023. The aircraft's instructor pilot, seated in the rear, first spotted the mysterious object before it hit the jet's clear canopy. Despite the impact, the $70 million aircraft sustained no visible damage, and officials initially ruled out a bird strike. Eventually, authorities concluded the jet had been hit by a drone. However, the drone's origin and operator remain unknown. The incident was just the beginning. FAA documents obtained by The War Zone revealed that it was the first of four reported encounters with unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs) in that region within a day. These events add to the growing number of UAP incidents documented by the U.S. Department of Defense. 757 UAP Incidents in a Year According to an unclassified report from the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), 757 UAP encounters occurred between May 1, 2023, and June 1, 2024. Of these, 708 took place in the air, with only 49 cases officially closed. Notably, 18 of these incidents were reported near sensitive nuclear sites, missile launch facilities, or strategic weapons locations. The report stated that none of the resolved cases indicated advanced technology from foreign adversaries or breakthrough aerospace developments. Live Events 'Nothing New' James Fox, a filmmaker and long-time UFO researcher, weighed in, telling Fox News Digital that he wasn't surprised by the F-16 incident. According to Fox, U.S. military personnel have reported seeing craft loitering over the East Coast with no visible propulsion systems — some dating back nearly a century. 'There are documented sightings from the 1930s and 1940s,' Fox said, describing glowing orb-like objects that outmaneuvered World War II aircraft. He added that some of these crafts exhibit capabilities like remaining stationary in high winds and emitting no heat signature. Fox believes either humanity has been tracking the same unknown intelligence since the 1940s, or someone has successfully replicated and reverse-engineered such technology. A Task Force for the Unknown In 2020, the U.S. Department of Defense launched the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) to study these sightings and assess their potential threats to national security. Fox noted that enhanced radar systems have contributed to the recent surge in reports by detecting smaller objects that previously went unnoticed.
NDTV
19-05-2025
- NDTV
Swarm Of Unidentified Objects Seen Near US Military Sites: Report
An unidentified flying object struck a US Air Force F-16 fighter jet during a training mission over Arizona last year, damaging the aircraft and prompting concerns about a surge in mysterious aerial activity near American military sites, the New York Post reported. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) documents, first reported by The War Zone, the incident occurred in January 2023 when an "orange-white" uncrewed aerial system (UAS) collided mid-air with the canopy of a $63 million F-16 Viper, forcing it to be grounded. The term UAS typically refers to drones, though the object remains unidentified. The incident is one of several unexplained aerial encounters reported near US Air Force training zones in Arizona since 2020. A day after the fighter jet incident, three more UAS encounters were flagged in the same region, highlighting the frequency and unusual nature of these sightings. Former Pentagon investigator Luis Elizondo told News Nation that reports of unidentified aerial activity have spiked near Arizona's southern border. "There's been a lot of activity, a lot of people reporting a lot of things," he said. The FAA confirmed that it logs sightings of "Unidentified Aerial Phenomena" (UAP) when pilots report them to air traffic control. If corroborated with radar or other evidence, the data is shared with the US Department of Defence's All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office - the agency handling such national security cases. Between May 2023 and June 2024, the office received 757 such reports, with only 49 cases marked "closed" so far. Many of the objects spotted near Arizona's military ranges appear in small swarms, sometimes in groups of eight, flying at high altitudes. Some US officials, including former Customs and Border Protection advisor Ron Vitiello, suspect these could be advanced drones operated by foreign cartels for smuggling or surveillance. "There's a possibility they're using cutting-edge technology we're not familiar with," Vitiello said, noting that cartel-funded drone systems have been used to smuggle drugs weighing up to 10 kilograms across the US-Mexico border. "These groups have the resources to innovate constantly. That's part of their business model," he added. The incidents come amid heightened scrutiny over aerial intrusions, following high-profile events like the Chinese spy balloon sighting in 2023.
New York Post
18-05-2025
- New York Post
UFO striking fighter jet is among swarm of mystery objects spotted near US military sites: reports
A UFO that struck and damaged a US fighter jet is just one of a swarm of mystery objects buzzing around Air Force training ranges in Arizona, according to multiple reports. One of the unidentified flying objects hit the clear bubble 'canopy' over the head of a pilot in a $63 million F-16 Viper jet in January 2023, damaging it and temporarily grounding the plane, according to Federal Aviation Administration documents first reported by The War Zone. Advertisement 3 A pair of F-35A Joint Strike Fighters assigned to the US Air Force's 56th Fighter Wing appear in flight. USAF The military jet was struck mid-air by 'an orange-white UAS,' or 'Uncrewed Aerial System,' the FAA documents said. The term refers to drones. Three more UAS encounters were flagged a day later, the outlet reported. Advertisement 'What I can tell you is that there has been a lot of activity, a lot of people reporting a lot of things out of Arizona, particularly on the border' with Mexico, former Pentagon investigator Luis Elizondo told News Nation this month. The FAA told The Post in a statement that the agency 'documents Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) sightings whenever a pilot reports one to an air traffic control facility. 'If supporting information such as radar data corroborates the report, the FAA shares it with the UAP Task Force. The Department of Defense All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office serves as the centralized clearing house for UAP reporting impacting national security or safety.' 3 A map shows designated restricted airspace (outlined in red) and military operation areas (outlined in purple) used for military training in Arizona and neighboring states. DOD Advertisement The government filed 757 such reports between May 2023 and June 2024 — 708 of which took place in the air — with only 49 marked 'case closed' in the latest report issued by the 'Anomaly Resolution Office.' The small unidentified objects spotted in Arizona are known to fly in groups of up to eight and are sometimes characterized as drones, according to The War Zone, which noted the incidents took place at high altitudes in or near military air combat training sites since January 2020. Drones and other flying objects such as the Chinese spy balloon in 2023 are 'clearly being passed through multiple U.S. military reporting streams,' the outlet added. 3 An F-16 Fighting Falcon, or Viper, lands at Kleine Brogel Air Base EBBL in Belgium. NurPhoto via Getty Images Advertisement Some US officials, including Ron Vitiello, a senior adviser for US Customs and Border Protection, hypothesize that the mysterious flying objects could be drones used by foreign cartels for spying or smuggling drugs. The cartel has used the technology – which is difficult to track – to move up to 10 kilograms of drugs at a time, News Nation reported. Vitiello told 'News Nation Prime' earlier this month that 'unlimited funding' from cartels could explain the impressive 'cutting-edge' technology never seen before. 'Maybe they've got technology that we're not used to seeing in the drone space,' Vitello said. 'That's part of their business model, to always be able to iterate and innovate, so that they can continue to sell their poison into the United States.'
