The Pentagon UFO Program Revelation

On December 16, 2017, the New York Times published a bombshell story revealing the Pentagon had secretly studied UFOs. The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) and its stunning footage changed the UFO conversation forever.

The Story

December 16, 2017:

• New York Times
• Washington Post
• Politico
• Simultaneous release
• Coordinated disclosure

The Program

AATIP:

• Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program
• Pentagon funded
• 2007-2012 (officially)
• $22 million budget
• Secret study

Luis Elizondo

Program director:

• Former intelligence officer
• Resigned in frustration
• Went public
• With videos
• Sparked revelation

Senator Harry Reid

Nevada senator:

• Secured funding
• Believed in research
• Bipartisan support
• Long interest in UFOs
• Made it happen

The Videos

Released footage:

• FLIR (2004)
• Gimbal (2015)
• GoFast (2015)
• Navy gun camera
• Authenticated

The Tic Tac

2004 footage:

• From USS Nimitz
• Commander David Fravor
• Tic-tac shaped object
• Impossible maneuvers
• Best evidence

Gimbal Video

2015 footage:

• East Coast
• Rotating object
• Pilots exclaiming
• “There’s a whole fleet!”
• Remarkable reactions

GoFast Video

Another 2015 clip:

• Object over water
• High speed
• No visible propulsion
• Low altitude
• Confirmed unknown

Official Acknowledgment

Pentagon confirmed:

• Program existed
• Videos authentic
• Objects unknown
• Historic admission
• New era

The Five Observables

Elizondo described:

• Anti-gravity lift
• Sudden acceleration
• Hypersonic speed
• Low observability
• Trans-medium travel

Congressional Interest

After revelation:

• Hearings began
• Bipartisan concern
• Funding renewed
• New programs created
• Official attention

UAP Terminology

New term adopted:

• Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
• Replaced UFO
• Less stigma
• Military terminology
• Official language

UAPTF

New program:

• Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force
• 2020 created
• Navy led
• Pentagon supported
• Ongoing study

The Shift

Before 2017:

• UFOs dismissed
• Stigma strong
• Ridicule common
• Career ending topic

After 2017:

• Legitimate study
• Congressional hearings
• Pilot reports encouraged
• National security concern

Media Response

Coverage changed:

• Serious journalism
• Major outlets covered
• Less ridicule
• Expert analysis
• Shift in tone

Significance

2017 revelation significant for:

• Official acknowledgment
• Authentic footage
• Program confirmation
• Changed conversation
• Historic moment

Legacy

The December 2017 revelation fundamentally changed how UFOs are discussed in America. Official acknowledgment, authenticated footage, and congressional interest launched a new era of serious UAP study.