Unresolved UAP Sighting Over INDOPACOM (2024 — East China Sea) — Pentagon Report
A declassified Pentagon report details a nine-second infrared video of a football-shaped object with radial projections over the East China Sea.
Incident Overview
The 2024 sighting over the East China Sea remains one of the more enigmatic entries within the recent corpus of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) documentation. The case is formally cataloged as DOW-UAP-PR46, an Unresolved UAP Report originating from the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM). This specific entry gained public visibility following the declassification of primary-source documents as part of the Department of War PURSUE release on May 8, 2026, which was issued alongside the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) public document set.
The core of the report consists of a brief, nine-second segment of video footage captured by an infrared sensor mounted on a United States military platform. Unlike many contemporary UAP reports that include detailed pilot testimony or written descriptions of flight patterns and behavior, the reporting entity for this specific event provided no oral or written description of the observation. The data is limited strictly to the visual information captured by the sensor during the recorded interval.
Visual Analysis
The visual evidence is restricted to the period between 00:00 and 00:09 of the footage. During this timeframe, the infrared sensor tracks an area of contrast that exhibits a distinct geometric configuration. The observed mass resembles a football-shaped body characterized by three specific radial projections. One of these projections is oriented vertically, while the remaining two are positioned downward at a 45-degree angle relative to the major axis of the primary mass. The footage concludes without further movement or additional structural details being captured by the sensor.
Geographic and Strategic Context
The location of the sighting, the East China Sea, is a highly contested maritime region characterized by intense military presence and frequent surveillance operations. As a critical corridor for global trade and a focal point for Indo-Pacific security, the area is subject to constant monitoring by various state actors using advanced sensor suites, including radar, electro-optical, and infrared systems. The presence of high-altitude and orbital surveillance assets in this region increases the likelihood of capturing anomalous sensor data, as the density of electromagnetic and thermal signatures is exceptionally high.
The occurrence of such sightings in this specific theater is consistent with historical patterns of unidentified aerial phenomena reported near high-traffic military zones. In the context of modern electronic warfare and advanced sensor technology, distinguishing between known atmospheric phenomena, man-made debris, and unidentified objects presents a significant technical challenge for analysts.
Institutional Framework and Classification
The processing of this case falls under the purview of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), the agency tasked with investigating and resolving anomalies across all domains of operation, including air, space, and maritime environments. The reporting of this event by INDOPACOM to AARO follows the established protocol for documenting unexplained sensor hits that cannot be immediately attributed to known aircraft, weather, or natural phenomena.
The documentation provided by the Department of War PURSUE release serves as a formal archive of these observations. While the visual description of the football-shaped object is presented as a matter of record, the official documentation maintains a strictly descriptive stance. The provided descriptions are intended for informational purposes and do not constitute an analytical judgment, investigative conclusion, or factual determination regarding the validity, nature, or significance of the event. The lack of accompanying descriptive text from the original reporter leaves the operational context of the sensor’s orientation and the object’s velocity unverified.