US Navy to lead task force to detect unidentified aerial phenomena

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has approved the establishment of an Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) Task Force (UAPTF) spearheaded by the Department of the Navy.

The US Navy will lead the UAPTF under the cognizance of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security.

The approval of the task force was given by Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist.

The task force was set up by the DoD to boost the understanding and attain insight into the nature and origins of UAPs.

It will be responsible for the detection, analysis, and classification of UAPs that could threaten the national security of the US.

The DoD said in a statement: “The Department of Defense and the military departments take any incursions by unauthorised aircraft into our training ranges or designated airspace very seriously and examine each report.

“This includes examinations of incursions that are initially reported as UAP when the observer cannot immediately identify what he or she is observing.”

In September last year, the US Navy confirmed that it detected the presence of fast-moving unidentified objects in the restricted training airspace.

Last week, Alion Science and Technology received multiple Naval Ocean Systems Command (NAVSEA) SeaPort-NxG contracts worth $896m to develop, integrate, manage and support the Naval Integrated Training Environment (NITE).

Last month, Erickson Incorporated won the US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) full-rate production (FRP) multiple-award contract.