Introduction

The 2015 GIMBAL video occupies a unique place in the UFO disclosure movement because the central controversy is not merely what object was recorded, but whether the most striking feature in the footage—the apparent rotation of a dark, disc-like shape—belongs to the object itself or to the imaging system observing it. The answer matters because the interpretation of that rotation heavily influences whether the clip appears to show an extraordinary manoeuvring craft or a more conventional target seen through complex infrared optics. Years after the video became public, the dispute remains one of the most technically detailed and fiercely argued debates surrounding any of the Navy UAP recordings. [Wikipedia]WikipediaPentagon UFO videosMay 11, 2026 — The Pentagon UFO videos are selected visual recordings of Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) targeting cameras from United St…Published: May 11, 2026

Why the apparent rotation matters

The GIMBAL footage, recorded by an F/A-18 Super Hornet’s AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR targeting pod in January 2015, shows a bright infrared source above clouds. Near the end of the clip, the image appears to rotate dramatically while pilots can be heard reacting to what they are seeing and discussing a possible “fleet” of objects. To many viewers, the rotation looks like a physical craft turning on its axis while maintaining controlled flight. That visual impression became one of the strongest arguments that the video captured something beyond ordinary aircraft behaviour. [arXiv]arxiv.orgReconstruction of Potential Flight Paths for the January 2015 Gimbal UAPJune 15, 2023…Published: June 15, 2023

The importance of the rotation is straightforward:

Unlike debates over witness testimony, the GIMBAL dispute revolves around a specific observable feature in the recorded imagery. As a result, much of the discussion has focused on engineering, optics and the behaviour of infrared targeting systems rather than broader questions about UFO origins. [The Guardian]theguardian.comThe Guardian I study UFOs – and I don't believe the alien hypeHere's why11 Jun 2021 — I looked up the camera's patents; these revealed a de-rotation mechanism used to correct for “gimbal roll”, which…

The infrared glare explanation

The leading sceptical explanation argues that viewers are not seeing the true outline of the object at all. Instead, they are seeing an infrared glare or blooming effect generated by a hot source that overwhelms portions of the sensor. In this interpretation, the apparent “craft” shape is largely an optical artefact whose orientation is tied to the camera system rather than to the target itself. [Metabunk]metabunk.orga gimbal glare explainer.12230A Gimbal Glare Explainer17 Jan 2022 — The rotating spikes you see in that military video are typical lens flares, probably caused…

Analysts such as Mick West and other independent investigators have argued that the timing of the apparent rotation is crucial. They note that the image begins rotating when display indicators suggest the ATFLIR pod is passing through a mechanical orientation that requires changes in the sensor’s internal geometry. According to this model, the glare remains fixed relative to optical components inside the system while the viewing apparatus rotates to maintain tracking. The result is that the glare appears to rotate on screen even though the underlying target does not. [YouTube]youtube.comExplained: Gimbal UFO rotation caused by…a Gimbal!The Gimbal UFO video seems to show a rotating flying saucer. However, the sha… PetaPixel Several observations are frequently cited in support of the glare hypothesis: [petapixel.com]petapixel.comfamous navy ufo video was actually camera glare evidence suggestsFamous Navy UFO Video Was Actually Camera Glare…14 Mar 2022 — One of West's main points is that glare orientation is relative…

• The apparent object maintains a shape consistent with a saturated infrared source rather than revealing clear structural features.
• The rotation occurs during a specific portion of the tracking sequence rather than continuously.
• Background elements and sensor behaviour appear consistent with known characteristics of stabilised targeting pods.
• Similar rotational relationships can be reproduced in simulations that model the ATFLIR’s tracking geometry. [YouTube]youtube.comExplained: Gimbal UFO rotation caused by…a Gimbal!The Gimbal UFO video seems to show a rotating flying saucer. However, the sha… Metabunk A number of technicians and analysts familiar with infrared imaging have likewise argued that the footage can be explained without requiring [metabunk.org]metabunk.orga gimbal glare explainer.12230A Gimbal Glare Explainer17 Jan 2022 — The rotating spikes you see in that military video are typical lens flares, probably caused… a physically rotating craft. [YouTube]youtube.comExplained: Gimbal UFO rotation caused by…a Gimbal!The Gimbal UFO video seems to show a rotating flying saucer. However, the sha…

Why glare can look like a solid object

One source of confusion is that many people imagine lens flare as a faint ghost image floating across a photograph. Infrared targeting systems can produce different effects. A very hot target may create blooming, diffraction-like patterns or sensor artefacts that obscure the actual object. Under those conditions, what appears to be a sharply bounded shape may reflect properties of the imaging system more than the geometry of the target itself. [Metabunk]metabunk.orgpanoramic stitched video of gimbal.12207Panoramic stitched video of GimbalOct 23, 2021 — Sure, parallax is all we have. Mick did a great analysis on that, see video belo…

This distinction is central to the glare explanation. The claim is not that nothing was present. Rather, the claim is that a real distant object—possibly an aircraft—generated an infrared signature whose apparent shape and rotation were dominated by sensor effects. [YouTube]youtube.comExplained: Gimbal UFO rotation caused by…a Gimbal!The Gimbal UFO video seems to show a rotating flying saucer. However, the sha…

Why competing reconstructions remain disputed

Supporters of a more anomalous interpretation argue that the glare hypothesis does not fully resolve the encounter. Their position is that the video should not be analysed in isolation from pilot observations, radar information and contextual reports associated with the event. [arXiv]arxiv.orgReconstruction of Potential Flight Paths for the January 2015 Gimbal UAPJune 15, 2023…Published: June 15, 2023

One line of argument comes from flight-path reconstructions that attempt to estimate the target’s movement using information embedded in the display symbology. Some researchers contend that if the object was at the shorter ranges reported by participating aviators, its inferred motion becomes difficult to reconcile with a conventional aircraft and aligns more closely with witness descriptions of abrupt manoeuvres. They argue that the apparent rotation may therefore coincide with a genuine change in orientation or flight path rather than a purely optical effect. [arXiv]arxiv.orgReconstruction of Potential Flight Paths for the January 2015 Gimbal UAPJune 15, 2023…Published: June 15, 2023

Critics of those reconstructions respond that the calculations depend heavily on assumptions about distance. If the target was much farther away, different and more ordinary trajectories become possible. Because the public lacks the complete radar tracks, range measurements and full sensor data, neither side can definitively establish the object’s exact position. [Metabunk]metabunk.orggimbal glare rotation clouds and angles.14625GImbal Glare, Rotation, Clouds, and Angles8 Dec 2025 — 1. how do we know that this is glare from a distant plane? 2. how is it generating…

Another point of contention concerns correlation. Proponents of the glare explanation argue that the rotation closely matches the sensor’s orientation changes and therefore points to an optical cause. Opponents counter that matching a sensor movement does not automatically prove the target itself was not also rotating, especially given the limited duration and quality of the released footage. [Reddit]reddit.comAnother L for MickGreat video showing the details of the Gimbal video and why it…April 2, 2022 — Great video showing the details of the Gimbal vid…Published: April 2, 2022

The dispute has therefore shifted from a simple question—”Did the object rotate?”—to a more technical one: “Does the observed rotation track the behaviour of the target or the behaviour of the imaging system?” Neither side considers the issue conclusively settled. [Reddit]reddit.comGimbal UFOA New Analysis: Mick West lays out the more…The gimbal ufo video almost certainly shows a glare that hides the actual object and that… [Metabunk]metabunk.orga gimbal glare explainer.12230A Gimbal Glare Explainer17 Jan 2022 — The rotating spikes you see in that military video are typical lens flares, probably caused…

What the debate reveals about the evidential value of GIMBAL

The glare-rotation controversy illustrates a broader challenge in interpreting military sensor footage. Modern targeting systems are sophisticated instruments designed for tracking and weapons employment, not for providing intuitive visual records to the public. Without detailed knowledge of the optics, stabilisation mechanisms and processing algorithms, dramatic imagery can be misleading. [The Guardian]theguardian.comThe Guardian I study UFOs – and I don't believe the alien hypeHere's why11 Jun 2021 — I looked up the camera's patents; these revealed a de-rotation mechanism used to correct for “gimbal roll”, which…

For advocates of UFO disclosure, GIMBAL remains important because it documents a military encounter that participants considered unusual and because key contextual data have never been publicly released. For sceptics, it demonstrates how extraordinary interpretations can arise from misunderstood sensor behaviour. [Hacker News]news.ycombinator.comHacker NewsEzra Klein just did a long interview with Leslie Kean…Another video, known as Gimbal, shows an object that appears to be tu…

As a result, GIMBAL is often cited not as decisive proof for either side but as a case study in the limits of public evidence. The clip’s most famous feature—the apparent rotation—remains precisely the part of the footage for which the strongest competing explanations exist. [PetaPixel]petapixel.comfamous navy ufo video was actually camera glare evidence suggestsFamous Navy UFO Video Was Actually Camera Glare…14 Mar 2022 — One of West's main points is that glare orientation is relative… [The Guardian]theguardian.comThe Guardian I study UFOs – and I don't believe the alien hypeHere's why11 Jun 2021 — I looked up the camera's patents; these revealed a de-rotation mechanism used to correct for “gimbal roll”, which…

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Endnotes

1. Source: Wikipedia
   Title: Pentagon UFO videos
   Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagon_UFO_videos
   Source snippet

   May 11, 2026 — The Pentagon UFO videos are selected visual recordings of Forward-looking infrared (FLIR) targeting cameras from United St...

   Published: May 11, 2026

2. Source: arxiv.org
   Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.08773
   Source snippet

   Reconstruction of Potential Flight Paths for the January 2015 Gimbal UAPJune 15, 2023...

   Published: June 15, 2023

3. Source: petapixel.com
   Title: famous navy ufo video was actually camera glare evidence suggests
   Link: https://petapixel.com/2022/03/14/famous-navy-ufo-video-was-actually-camera-glare-evidence-suggests/
   Source snippet

   Famous Navy UFO Video Was Actually Camera Glare...14 Mar 2022 — One of West's main points is that glare orientation is relative...

4. Source: metabunk.org
   Title: a gimbal glare explainer.12230
   Link: https://www.metabunk.org/threads/a-gimbal-glare-explainer.12230/
   Source snippet

   A Gimbal Glare Explainer17 Jan 2022 — The rotating spikes you see in that military video are typical lens flares, probably caused...

5. Source: youtube.com
   Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X1PRDbtiF0
   Source snippet

   Explained: Gimbal UFO rotation caused by...a Gimbal!The Gimbal UFO video seems to show a rotating flying saucer. However, the sha...

6. Source: youtube.com
   Title: You Tube Gimbal UFO
   Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsEjV8DdSbs
   Source snippet

   Gimbal UFO - A New AnalysisThe gimbal ufo video almost certainly shows a glare that hides the actual object and that the shape of...

7. Source: youtube.com
   Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGHeu5GeR-0
   Source snippet

   Raytheon ATFLIR expert discusses Navy gimbal UFO/UAP...Raytheon ATFLIR expert discusses Navy gimbal UFO/UAP video with Mick West. 3.2K v...

8. Source: metabunk.org
   Title: panoramic stitched video of gimbal.12207
   Link: https://www.metabunk.org/threads/panoramic-stitched-video-of-gimbal.12207/
   Source snippet

   Panoramic stitched video of GimbalOct 23, 2021 — Sure, parallax is all we have. Mick did a great analysis on that, see video belo...

9. Source: metabunk.org
   Title: gimbal glare rotation clouds and angles.14625
   Link: https://www.metabunk.org/threads/gimbal-glare-rotation-clouds-and-angles.14625/
   Source snippet

   GImbal Glare, Rotation, Clouds, and Angles8 Dec 2025 — 1. how do we know that this is glare from a distant plane? 2. how is it generating...

10. Source: reddit.com
    Title: Another L for Mick
    Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/tu837d/great_video_showing_the_details_of_the_gimbal/
    Source snippet

    Great video showing the details of the Gimbal video and why it...April 2, 2022 — Great video showing the details of the Gimbal vid...

    Published: April 2, 2022

11. Source: reddit.com
    Title: Gimbal UFO
    Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/tdud5t/gimbal_ufo_a_new_analysis_mick_west_lays_out_the/
    Source snippet

    A New Analysis: Mick West lays out the more...The gimbal ufo video almost certainly shows a glare that hides the actual object and that...

12. Source: reddit.com
    Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/ufo/comments/m251sy/mick_west_attempts_to_debunk_the_entire_gimbal/
    Source snippet

    • 5y ago. Debunking of Mick West's debunking of the triangle ufo. 78. 151. Two critical takeaways from the UFO files just released &middo...

13. Source: Wikipedia
    Title: Gimbal lock
    Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimbal_lock
    Source snippet

    Gimbal lockGimbal lock is the loss of one degree of freedom in a multi-dimensional mechanism at certain alignments of the axes.Read more...

14. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OVt_SkhCdw
    Source snippet

    video. Unfortunately, he presents it as just "could the...

15. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc8b2Jo7mno
    Source snippet

    Euler (gimbal lock) ExplainedIn this video we explore Euler Rotations, the most common method for orienting objects in 3d. It's by-produc...

16. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-4ZqTjKmhn4FcIJPKnJVGskuXDjHnTOS
    Source snippet

    The IR Glare Hypothesis. Mick West · 3:55 · Gimbal UFO: New Footage Proves Glare Rotation.Read more...

17. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Le7Fqbsrrm8
    Source snippet

    Breakdown of the Pentagon UFO videos with Mick WestThe Pentagon have officially released three videos of unidentified aerial phenomena wh...

18. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Gimbal UFO
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VNkv-wqG0g
    Source snippet

    My UFO Mistake...

19. Source: youtube.com
    Title: My UFO Mistake
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YIS16GfzfQ
    Source snippet

    Investigating The Pentagon UFO Videos...

20. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Investigating The Pentagon UFO Videos
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUebtejcoCk
    Source snippet

    UAPs: A Training Exercise For Military Technology? (w Mick West and Ramsey Faragher)...

21. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeUlvKn-Bwk
    Source snippet

    Fighter Pilots Are FORCED to Stay Silent About UAPs | Chris Lehto | Unveiled Ep. 26...

22. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4EVfCzblsM

23. Source: theguardian.com
    Title: The Guardian I study UFOs – and I don’t believe the alien hype
    Link: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jun/11/i-study-ufos-and-i-dont-believe-the-alien-hype-heres-why
    Source snippet

    Here's why11 Jun 2021 — I looked up the camera's patents; these revealed a de-rotation mechanism used to correct for “gimbal roll”, which...

24. Source: youtu.be
    Title: hzmd Ssszf5g
    Link: https://youtu.be/hzmdSsszf5g
    Source snippet

    "Gimbal" UFO ATFLIR video rotation explained by a Depot...Jul 31, 2020 — This video will explain the rotation of the "Gimbal" obj...

25. Source: news.ycombinator.com
    Link: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36511550
    Source snippet

    Hacker NewsEzra Klein just did a long interview with Leslie Kean...Another video, known as Gimbal, shows an object that appears to be tu...

Additional References

1. Source: forgesolar.com
   Link: https://www.forgesolar.com/help/
   Source snippet

   Help GuideComprehensive help guide for ForgeSolar glare analysis tools including tutorials, fundamentals, workflow guidance, and componen...

2. Source: facebook.com
   Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1038710211368751/posts/1503001498272951/

3. Source: twz.com
   Link: https://www.twz.com/28903/u-s-fighter-jets-are-about-to-get-infrared-sensors-that-could-be-huge-for-ufo-reporting
   Source snippet

   Fighter Jets Are About To Get Infrared Sensors That...10 July 2019 — Explained: The Gimbal UFO's Glow/Aura is Just Image Sharpening. Gim...

   Published: July 2019

4. Source: boingboing.net
   Link: https://boingboing.net/2022/03/14/navy-ufo-moves-with-camera-mechanisms-in-glaring-problem-for-alien-fans.html
   Source snippet

   Rob Beschizza 6:21 am Mon Mar 14, 2022. The Gimbal video, as analyzed by Mike...Read more...

5. Source: researchgate.net
   Link: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mohamed_Mourad_Lafifi/post/What-control-algorithm-for-position-control-of-BLDC-gimbal-motor/attachment/5b5003034cde265cb6500ac4/AS%3A649944725721088%401531970306867/download/Investigation%2Binto%2Bthe%2BRobust%2BModelling%2C%2BControl%2Band%2B…%2B-%2BWIReDSpace.pdf
   Source snippet

   atform has to move, and the farther away it is, the smaller the rotational...Read more...

6. Source: facebook.com
   Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ufoupdates/posts/10157515430476790/
   Source snippet

   terview that the rotation looks unnatural and does not seem to be a...Read more...

7. Source: facebook.com
   Link: https://www.facebook.com/HiddenFactsss/posts/the-us-navys-now-famous-gimbal-ufo-footage-continues-to-stand-as-one-of-the-most/1533026775490623/
   Source snippet

   ooth, disc-like shape rotating effortlessly in midair...Read more...

8. Source: leonarddavid.com
   Title: debunking navy ufo videos
   Link: https://www.leonarddavid.com/debunking-navy-ufo-videos/
   Source snippet

   Debunking Navy “UFO” Videos30 Apr 2020 — What you see is the infrared glare of the engines, larger than the plane. It looks like it is ro...

9. Source: repository.belmont.edu
   Title: spark presentations
   Link: https://repository.belmont.edu/spark_presentations/341/
   Source snippet

   Gimbal Lock Using Quaternionsby M Goskie · 2025 — In this presentation, we demonstrate how quaternions can be used to remedy gimbal lock...

10. Source: behavior-podcast.com
    Link: https://behavior-podcast.com/gimbal-ufo-video-and-others-explained-in-new-documentary/
    Source snippet

    Behavior Podcast“Gimbal” UFO video and other famous videos explained in...9 Jan 2025 — And every lens has various traits and imperfectio...