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Range Fouler Debrief Form
Night DCA mission. Observed 2 IR significant contacts at 26,000 ft, balloon-shaped and translucent/reflective with false trackfiles. One circled the other. Red blinking strobes observed. Noise jamming received. Objects disappeared in 1/30th of a second.
Analysis
A round object doing 277 MPH made abrupt directional changes over the Gulf of Aden. The 172 ATKS crew at 23,819 feet tracked it for eight minutes (2109Z to 2117Z) on September 4, 2020. It showed up bright white on a black-hot IR sensor, which means it was thermally cold -- the inverse of what you'd expect from an engine. Slant range 6.17 NM. Same squadron would see another contact in October in the same area.
Key Findings
- Round, cold object tracked in IR traveling 168 degrees at 277 mph over the Gulf of Aden
- Object made abrupt directional changes during the eight-minute contact window (21:09Z to 21:17Z)
- Object appeared bright white on IR sensor set to black hot mode, indicating cold thermal signature
- Sensor aimed -39 degrees below altitude with slant range of 6.17 NM and ground range of 8.81 KM
- Same squadron (172 ATKS) as the October 2020 Gulf of Aden encounter, suggesting repeated activity in the area
Page Extractions 1 pages
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doc_typeform
classificationDeclassified by MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff; USCENTCOM 26.0028, Approved for Release to AARO, FOUO/PA applies
page_descriptionRange Fouler Reporting Form documenting observation of a round, cold infrared object tracked over the Gulf of Aden on September 4, 2020 by ISR crew at 23,819 feet altitude.
dates
- 2020-09-04 | Date of observation
- 21:09:00 Z to 21:17:00 Z | Time window of contact (8 minute duration)
people
- O-3 Rank crew member | Squadron 172 ATKS | Other crew position | Observer/reporter
- MG Richard A. Harrison | USCENTCOM Chief of Staff | USCENTCOM | Declassification authority
organizations
- 172 ATKS | Air Force squadron conducting ISR mission
- USCENTCOM | U.S. Central Command
- SPEAR | Reporting and analysis organization
- AARO | All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (recipient of release)
locations
- Gulf of Aden | Primary location of observation
- MGRS location: 38P LT 7d[6(1)j-3j06[1)1)j4 | Military grid reference system (partially redacted as 1.4a)
- Altitude: 23,819 feet HAT (Height Above Terrain)
- Slant range: 6.17 NM | Distance to contact
- Ground range: 8.81 KM | Ground distance to contact
observationsRound, cold object tracked in infrared (IR); traveling 168 degrees at 277 mph; made a few abrupt directional changes during 8 minute contact; sensor aimed -39 degrees below altitude; IR sensor set to black hot; object appeared bright white in IR; contact was moving at direction/speed 168/277; round shape confirmed; contact moving; single contact in group
sensor_details
- IR sensor set to black hot mode | Infrared sensor configuration
- Slant range: 6.17 NM | Distance measurement
- Ground range: 8.81 KM | Distance measurement
- Sensor aimed -39 degrees below altitude | Sensor pointing angle
- ISR mission type | Mission description
assessments
- Cold object in IR | Thermal signature
- Abrupt directional changes during 8 minute contact | Observed behavior
redactions
- Crew member name, rank | Contact information sanitized
- SIPR email address | Classified contact information
- "1.4a" redaction in latitude/longitude coordinates and MGRS location
- "(b)(1)1.4a" in estimated lat/long field | Classified location coordinates
- "3.5c, (b)(6)" redactions appear | Classified contact/repository information
- Repository link redacted | Classified file upload location
quotes"Contact at 21:09z to 21:17z 04SEP2020. MGRS location 38P LT 7d[6(1)j-3j06[1)1)j4 (estimated lat/long [(b)(1)1.4a]). While at 23,819 HAT over the Gulf of Aden we tracked a round, cold object in IR traveling 168 degrees at 277 mph. It made a few abrupt directional changes during the 8 minute contact. Our sensor was aimed -39 degrees below our altitude with a slant range of 6.17NM and ground range of 8.81KM. The IR sensor was set to black hot and the object in question was a bright white." | Crew description