The Tic Tac Encounter

On November 14, 2004, Navy pilots from the USS Nimitz carrier group encountered a white, oblong object that demonstrated extraordinary capabilities. The case launched the modern era of government UFO acknowledgment.

The Setting

USS Nimitz group:

• Pacific Ocean
• Off San Diego
• Training exercises
• Multiple ships
• Radar tracking

The Detection

Princeton radar:

• Tracked anomalous objects
• For several days
• Descending from 80,000 feet
• To sea level
• Instantly

The Intercept

Commander David Fravor:

• F/A-18 pilot
• Sent to investigate
• Saw white object
• Tic Tac shaped
• Hovering over disturbance

The Object

Fravor described:

• About 40 feet long
• White, oblong
• No wings
• No propulsion visible
• Smooth surface

The Ocean Disturbance

Below the object:

• Water churning
• Cross-shaped disturbance
• As if something beneath
• USO connection?
• Strange sight

The Engagement

Fravor descended:

• Object ascended
• Mirrored his movements
• Then accelerated
• Beyond any capability
• Vanished instantly

Second Encounter

Later that day:

• Another jet
• FLIR footage captured
• Object tracked
• Famous video
• Official evidence

The Video

FLIR1/Tic Tac footage:

• Shows object
• Being tracked
• No explanation
• Released 2017
• Then officially 2020

Commander Fravor

Career pilot:

• Top Gun graduate
• Combat veteran
• Credible witness
• Spoke publicly
• Never wavered

The Other Witnesses

Multiple personnel:

• Radar operators
• Other pilots
• Ship crews
• All confirmed
• Something happened

Years of Silence

From 2004:

• To 2017
• Story unknown
• Then leaked
• Then confirmed
• Eventually disclosed

The New York Times

December 2017:

• Story broke
• AATIP revealed
• Videos released
• National attention
• Everything changed

Congressional Interest

Led to:

• Briefings
• UAP Task Force
• AARO creation
• Ongoing investigation
• Policy changes

Significance

The catalyst case for modern government UFO disclosure, demonstrating technology beyond known human capability.

Legacy

The Nimitz Tic Tac encounter changed the UFO conversation permanently, moving UAP from fringe to legitimate national security concern.