DOW-UAP-D057, Range Fouler Reporting Form, Gulf of Aden, September 2020
This file is a standardized U.S. Navy Range Fouler Reporting Form used to document unauthorized intrusions into controlled airspace during military operations. According to the form, on 09/04/2020 at 21:09Z a U.S. military operator (crew position ISR, squadron 1172 ATKS, rank O-3) tracked a single 'round, cold object' in infrared over the Gulf of Aden for eight minutes (21:09Z to 21:17Z), while at 23,819 feet HAT. The object appeared 'bright white' on a 'black hot' IR sensor and was reported traveling 168 degrees at 277 mph, making 'a few abrupt directional changes.' The sensor was aimed roughly 39 degrees below the aircraft's altitude with a slant range of 6.1 NM and ground range of 8.81 KM. The releasing agency notes that all descriptive and estimative language reflects the reporter's subjective interpretation and should not be treated as conclusive evidence of any object's features or performance. The document is redacted and marked USCENTCOM, 'Approved for Release to MRO - FOUO / PA applies.'
Description
A declassified U.S. Navy Range Fouler Reporting Form documenting a military operator's tracking of an unidentified round, cold object over the Gulf of Aden on 4 September 2020. Released by the U.S. Department of War as part of a UAP disclosure batch, the form records sensor data, contact behavior, and a narrative description, with identifying information redacted.
Claims
The releasing agency states descriptive language reflects the reporter's subjective interpretation and is not conclusive evidence of object features or performance.
90%Descriptive language reflects the reporter's subjective interpretation and is not conclusive evidence of object features or performance.
85%A U.S. military operator tracked a 'round, cold object' in IR over the Gulf of Aden for eight minutes.
75%The object appeared 'bright white' on a 'black hot' IR sensor.
75%The object was reported traveling 168 degrees at 277 mph and made a few abrupt directional changes.
70%A U.S. military operator tracked a 'round, cold object' over the Gulf of Aden for eight minutes via a 'black hot' IR sensor, appearing 'bright white.'
60%The object was traveling on a heading of 168 degrees at 277 mph and made a few abrupt directional changes.
55%The contact was observed at 23,819 feet HAT with a sensor slant range of approximately 6.1 NM.
55%
Events
Sep 3, 2020
UAP tracking over Gulf of Aden
A U.S. military operator tracked a round, cold object in IR for eight minutes (21:09Z–21:17Z) at 23,819 feet HAT, reported traveling 168 degrees at 277 mph with abrupt directional changes.
May 7, 2026
Public release by Department of War
Document released as part of a UAP disclosure batch on war.gov.
May 7, 2026
Department of War release
Document released to the public as part of a UAP data release.
Dates mentioned
Keywords
Entities
Extracted text (OCR)
Range Fouler Reportin Form
Please complete this form to the best of your ability. If you do n~ot have the requested information,
please leave the field blank. If there was more than one "group " please report each on a separate
form for data collection purposes. You should receive a respons within 5 business days.
•
Rank
Last Name, First Name
Squadron
0-3
SfPR Email Address
Crew Position
1172 ATKS
Other
This information is for contact only. SPEAR sanitizes all r ports of identifying information.
Absolutely no identifying information for aircrew or squadr, n will be recorded for analysis.
09/04/20
21 :09:00
Night
Date {mmlddlyy}
Time of detection
Day I Night
ISR
Side No.
Buno
LFE?
Mi$$ion Description (CAS, BFM. etc)
(hh:mm:ss Z)
N
Contact Latitute
(DD:MM:SS)
Contact Won,-ing Area
(Ex: W•721A)
N/S
23819
E
Contact LongitrJ<Je
(DD:MM:SS)
E,W
~
, ntact Altitllde
: 22000}
Please attempt to determine a Lat I Long for the contact at initial cJete<;t;on. We recommend
using JMPS to reference the sensor-derived beating and range mtat/ve to the bullseye you had
in use. If that methocJ is not available, any reasonable derivation of location will won,-, but please
be as specific as possible and make a note in the comments section. These locations may be
used to cue other means oftracking.
Radar Equipped:
AIM-9x Self-Track:
Stable Trackfile?:
A TFLIR Autotrack:
# of Contacts in "Group": 1
Tally Achieved:
EA Indications (Check all that apply):
□
□
ECM
. Letter
Identifier
An;
□
False
Trackfiles
W'incJ Dir at
Contact Alt
(From)
Altitude
Constant?
Wind
Speed
Yes
Wes the contact moving?
Direction/Speed
(Ex. 090/15)
□
□
□
168/277
Please check all that apply:
Round:
[l]
D
Balloon-shapecJ: D
Wings/Airframe: D
Other Shape: D
D
Metallic: D
Mar1<ings: D
Translucent: D
Moving Parts:
Square:
□
Opeque:O
Apparent Propulsion:□
Other/
Ambiguous
RefTe<:tive: □
Please use the field below to describe the contact and any inte action in your own words with as much
detail as possible. Please be sure to include any detail not incJJded in questions above.
+
Contact at 21 :09z to 21 :17z 04SEP2020. MGRS location 38P L ?(~a<aoimJ(estimated lat/long
(bJ(1 )1.4a
~. While at 23,819 HAT over the ~ulf of Aden we tracked a round, cold object
in IR traveling 168 degrees at 277 mph. It made a few abrupt dir~ctional changes during the 8 minute
contact. Our sensor was aimed -39 degrees below our altitude w th a slant range of 6.1 ?NM and ground
range of 8.81 KM. The IR sensor was set to black hot and the obj ct in question was a bright white.
I
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Thank you for your time. Please ensure all display tapes are rip ed for the entire time of interaction and
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to the repository located at this link.
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USCENTCOM 26.0028
,
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Approved for Release to MRO - FOUO / PA applies
03/16/26 000001
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