U.S. Department of War Releases New Declassified UAP Files

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The U.S. Department of War on Friday released a new tranche of declassified records related to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), including a previously unpublished 32-second infrared video recorded from a U.S. military platform in 2020, as part of a broader transparency initiative ordered by President Donald Trump.

According to the Department of War, the footage was submitted to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) by U.S. Northern Command together with an operational debrief designated DOW-UAP-D091.

The accompanying military assessment describes the object as dark maroon in appearance, measuring roughly 12 to 15 feet in height, traveling with the wind without maneuvering or changing direction, and resembling a large, somewhat deformed balloon.

Despite those observations, officials continue to classify the incident as an unresolved UAP, stressing that available information is insufficient to reach a definitive conclusion about the object's nature.

The department also cautioned that the published video description is intended solely to explain what appears on screen and should not be interpreted as an official analytical finding.

The release forms part of what the Department of War describes as a government-wide effort, coordinated with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, to identify, review, declassify, and publish historical UAP records held across federal agencies.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the initiative reflects the Trump administration's commitment to increasing transparency surrounding previously classified government files, adding that additional materials will be released on a rolling basis as reviews are completed.

Officials said some portions of the newly published records remain redacted to protect the identities of witnesses, the locations of government facilities, and other sensitive military information unrelated to UAP investigations.

They also emphasized that no information concerning the reported nature of UAP encounters has been withheld under President Trump's disclosure directive.

The Department of War noted that the archive primarily contains unresolved cases.

It explained that an unresolved designation does not imply an extraterrestrial origin but instead reflects situations in which investigators lack sufficient evidence to make a conclusive determination.

Separately, the department said AARO will continue issuing reports on cases that have been resolved through established investigative procedures.

AARO serves as the U.S. government's central office for examining reports of unidentified objects observed across air, sea, space, and other operational domains, with the aim of distinguishing explainable incidents from those requiring further analysis.

Reporting by Esra Tekin of Anadolu Agency said Friday's disclosure includes 40 additional files comprising 14 documents, 19 videos, four audio recordings, and three images gathered from multiple agencies, including NASA, the CIA, the FBI, the Department of Energy, and the Pentagon.

Among the newly released material are records concerning a 2015 incident over the Pantex nuclear weapons facility in Texas and additional military sightings documented in 2019 and 2020.

Public attention surrounding UAPs has grown significantly as governments have expanded disclosure efforts.

As reported by Krysta Fauria of The Associated Press, the broader conversation has increasingly entered mainstream public debate, with renewed transparency prompting discussion among scientists, policymakers, and religious scholars.

The latest Department of War release, however, remains focused on presenting declassified government records while distinguishing verified observations from unresolved investigations.