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For civilian researchers involved in the UFO disclosure movement, the most consequential development in 2019 was not the release of new footage. It was the emergence of a precise, on-the-record statement from the U.S. Navy about footage that was already circulating publicly.
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Introduction
For civilian researchers involved in the UFO disclosure movement, the most consequential development in 2019 was not the release of new footage. It was the emergence of a precise, on-the-record statement from the U.S. Navy about footage that was already circulating publicly. Three widely discussed videos—commonly known as FLIR1, Gimbal and GoFast—had been debated for years. What changed was that a Navy spokesperson formally described the objects in those videos as “unidentified aerial phenomena” (UAP). That wording created a quotable official record that researchers, journalists and lawmakers could cite directly. Crucially, the statement confirmed less than many enthusiasts claimed and more than many sceptics expected. Understanding exactly what the Navy said, and what it did not say, remains important for evaluating later disclosure debates. [The Black Vault]theblackvault.comThe Black Vault U.SNavy Confirms Videos Depict 'Unidentified Aerial…Sep 10, 2019 — “The Navy designates the objects contained in these videos as unidenti… [Military.com]military.comufo videos are footage real unidentified objects us navy acknowledgesUFO Videos Are Footage of Real 'Unidentified' Objects, US…Sep 18, 2019 — "The Navy considers the phenomena contained/depicted in those…
Why the Wording Mattered in 2019
Before the Navy’s acknowledgement, arguments about the videos often became arguments about provenance. Were the clips genuine military recordings? Had they been officially recognised? Did the government regard the objects as identified or unexplained?
The wording supplied an answer to part of that question. Navy spokesperson Joseph Gradisher stated that the Navy designated the objects in the videos as “unidentified aerial phenomena” and that the phenomena depicted remained unidentified. He also explained that the term UAP was used as a descriptive category for unauthorised or unidentified objects observed in military-controlled airspace. [The Black Vault]theblackvault.comThe Black Vault U.SNavy Confirms Videos Depict 'Unidentified Aerial…Sep 10, 2019 — “The Navy designates the objects contained in these videos as unidenti… [Military.com]military.comufo videos are footage real unidentified objects us navy acknowledgesUFO Videos Are Footage of Real 'Unidentified' Objects, US…Sep 18, 2019 — "The Navy considers the phenomena contained/depicted in those…
That language mattered because it narrowed the range of plausible interpretations. Researchers no longer had to rely solely on pilot testimony, media reports or leaked material when discussing the videos. They could point to a direct statement from the service branch that operated the aircraft involved. The acknowledgement effectively established three points:
- The videos were genuine Navy videos. [military.com]military.comufo videos are footage real unidentified objects us navy acknowledgesUFO Videos Are Footage of Real 'Unidentified' Objects, US…Sep 18, 2019 — "The Navy considers the phenomena contained/depicted in those… [navy]secnav.navy.milmil UF O_Redactednavy.milUFO_Redacted - secnav.navy.milAttributed to Joseph Gradisher, spokesperson for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Informati… e Navy considered the depicted objects or phenomena unidentified.
- The Navy preferred the operational term UAP rather than UFO. [Time]time.comNavy Confirms Existence of 'Unidentified' Flying Objects Seen in Leaked FootageJoseph Gradisher, spokesman for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, acknowledged the footage as depicting "Unidentified Aerial Phenomen… [The Washington Post]washingtonpost.comthose ufo videos are real navy says please stop saying ufoThose UFO videos are real, the Navy says, but please stop…Sep 18, 2019 — The Navy acknowledged the existence of the objects in the vid…
For archive campaigners and document-focused researchers, those distinctions were significant. A short official statement often becomes more valuable than hours of speculation because it can be referenced in later requests, hearings and reporting.
How a Civilian Query Created a Quotable Record
One of the most notable aspects of the episode is how it emerged. The statement did not originate from a major government announcement or a congressional hearing. Instead, it arose through questioning by civilian researcher John Greenewald and his document archive project, The Black Vault.
Seeking clarification about the status of the videos, Greenewald contacted the Navy and obtained a response from Gradisher. The resulting statement was published in September 2019 and rapidly spread through major news organisations. Military, mainstream and specialist outlets all highlighted the same core point: the Navy regarded the phenomena in the videos as unidentified. [HISTORY]history.comnavy confirms ufo videos realNavy Confirms UFO Videos Are Real and Show…Sep 19, 2019 — The US Navy has confirmed that three F-18 gun-camera videos first released b… [The Black]theblackvault.comThe Black Vault U.SNavy Confirms Videos Depict 'Unidentified Aerial…Sep 10, 2019 — “The Navy designates the objects contained in these videos as unidenti… Vault [Military.com]military.comufo videos are footage real unidentified objects us navy acknowledgesUFO Videos Are Footage of Real 'Unidentified' Objects, US…Sep 18, 2019 — "The Navy considers the phenomena contained/depicted in those…
This is a useful example of how archive and transparency work can influence public discussion without uncovering a dramatic secret document. The value came from creating a verifiable record. Once the wording existed, journalists could quote it, legislators could reference it, and later government discussions about UAP could build on terminology that had already entered official use. [The Black Vault]theblackvault.comThe Black Vault U.SNavy Confirms Videos Depict 'Unidentified Aerial…Sep 10, 2019 — “The Navy designates the objects contained in these videos as unidenti… [The Washington Post]washingtonpost.comthose ufo videos are real navy says please stop saying ufoThose UFO videos are real, the Navy says, but please stop…Sep 18, 2019 — The Navy acknowledged the existence of the objects in the vid…
The episode also demonstrated a recurring pattern in disclosure debates: civilian researchers often obtain clarifications that become important not because they reveal everything, but because they reduce ambiguity. A carefully worded response from an official source can have lasting influence on how a case is discussed.
What Acknowledgement Does Not Prove
The most common misunderstanding of the 2019 statement was the belief that the Navy had endorsed extraordinary explanations for the videos.
It did not.
The Navy’s wording established that the observed phenomena had not been identified at the time. It did not state that the objects were extraterrestrial, technologically impossible, non-human, or beyond conventional explanation. “Unidentified” means precisely that: the available information did not allow the Navy to assign a confirmed identity. [Military.com]military.comufo videos are footage real unidentified objects us navy acknowledgesUFO Videos Are Footage of Real 'Unidentified' Objects, US…Sep 18, 2019 — "The Navy considers the phenomena contained/depicted in those… [Time]time.comNavy Confirms Existence of 'Unidentified' Flying Objects Seen in Leaked FootageJoseph Gradisher, spokesman for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, acknowledged the footage as depicting "Unidentified Aerial Phenomen…
This distinction is especially important because public discussion often collapses several separate claims into one:
ClaimDid the Navy acknowledge it?The videos are genuine Navy recordingsYesThe objects were considered unidentifiedYesThe objects represented a known foreign systemNo official conclusion statedThe objects were extraterrestrial craftNoThe videos prove alien visitationNoFurther investigation was warrantedYes, implicitly through continued UAP reporting and review processes
For researchers concerned with evidence quality, the strength of the statement lies precisely in its restraint. The Navy did not make dramatic claims. It confirmed a limited fact and left broader interpretations unresolved.
The Lasting Value of the Statement
The long-term significance of the 2019 acknowledgement is less about the imagery than about documentation. The videos were already public. What changed was that an official source attached formal language to them.
That language helped standardise the term UAP, provided a citation point for later reporting, and demonstrated how civilian inquiries could generate records that entered the broader disclosure conversation. Subsequent Pentagon releases and public statements repeatedly used similar terminology, reinforcing the importance of that early wording. [YouTube]youtube.comWatch the Pentagon's three declassified UFO videos taken…“The U.S. Navy previously acknowledged that these videos circulating i… [The Black]theblackvault.comThe Black Vault U.SNavy Confirms Videos Depict 'Unidentified Aerial…Sep 10, 2019 — “The Navy designates the objects contained in these videos as unidenti…
For archive-minded researchers, the episode serves as a reminder that disclosure is not only about obtaining footage. Sometimes the most consequential development is a short sentence from an official spokesperson that transforms a disputed public claim into an attributable government position. [The Black Vault]theblackvault.comThe Black Vault U.SNavy Confirms Videos Depict 'Unidentified Aerial…Sep 10, 2019 — “The Navy designates the objects contained in these videos as unidenti… [The Washington Post]washingtonpost.comthose ufo videos are real navy says please stop saying ufoThose UFO videos are real, the Navy says, but please stop…Sep 18, 2019 — The Navy acknowledged the existence of the objects in the vid…
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Endnotes
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Source: military.com
Title: ufo videos are footage real unidentified objects us navy acknowledges
Link: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/09/18/ufo-videos-are-footage-real-unidentified-objects-us-navy-acknowledges.htmlSource snippet
UFO Videos Are Footage of Real 'Unidentified' Objects, US...Sep 18, 2019 — "The Navy considers the phenomena contained/depicted in those...
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Source: time.com
Title: Navy Confirms Existence of ‘Unidentified’ Flying Objects Seen in Leaked Footage
Link: https://time.com/5680192/navy-confirms-ufo-videos-real/Source snippet
Joseph Gradisher, spokesman for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, acknowledged the footage as depicting "Unidentified Aerial Phenomen...
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Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO_M0hLlJ-QSource snippet
Watch the Pentagon's three declassified UFO videos taken...“The U.S. Navy previously acknowledged that these videos circulating i...
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Source: history.com
Title: navy confirms ufo videos real
Link: https://www.history.com/articles/navy-confirms-ufo-videos-realSource snippet
Navy Confirms UFO Videos Are Real and Show...Sep 19, 2019 — The US Navy has confirmed that three F-18 gun-camera videos first released b...
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Source: secnav.navy.mil
Title: mil UF O_Redacted
Link: https://www.secnav.navy.mil/foia/readingroom/CaseFiles/UAP%20INFO/UAP%20DOCUMENTS/UFO_Redacted.pdfSource snippet
navy.milUFO_Redacted - secnav.navy.milAttributed to Joseph Gradisher, spokesperson for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Informati...
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Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygB4EZ7ggigSource snippet
The 2004 USS Nimitz UFO Incident | Contact...
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Unedited Navy Flir video.mp4...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Unedited Navy Flir video.mp4
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcOzXVO8O8w -
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Title: The Black Vault U.S
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Navy Confirms Videos Depict 'Unidentified Aerial...Sep 10, 2019 — “The Navy designates the objects contained in these videos as unidenti...
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Source: washingtonpost.com
Title: those ufo videos are real navy says please stop saying ufo
Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2019/09/18/those-ufo-videos-are-real-navy-says-please-stop-saying-ufo/Source snippet
Those UFO videos are real, the Navy says, but please stop...Sep 18, 2019 — The Navy acknowledged the existence of the objects in the vid...
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Title: navy officially releases ufo uap videos calls them historical
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Navy Officially Releases UFO/UAP Videos; Calls Them “...Apr 27, 2020 — “The Navy designates the objects contained in these videos as uni...
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Navy admitted that it has unreleased videos of...U.S. Navy Confirms Videos Depict 'Unidentified Aerial Phenomena'; Not Cleared For Publi...
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Link: https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/navy-withheld-nearly-500-pages-about-uap-video-release-decision-records-show-foia-pressure-drove-disclosure/Source snippet
Navy Withheld Nearly 500 Pages About UAP Video...Jul 9, 2025 — Newly released documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act...
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Source: documents2.theblackvault.com
Title: gradisher ufo
Link: https://documents2.theblackvault.com/documents/navy/gradisher-ufo.pdfSource snippet
UFOAug 23, 2019 — "There have been a number of reports of unauthorized and/or unidentified aircraft entering various military‐controlled...
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Source: theblackvault.com
Title: u s navy says all uap ufo videos are classified and exempt from release
Link: https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/u-s-navy-says-all-uap-ufo-videos-are-classified-and-exempt-from-release/Source snippet
Navy Says ALL UAP/UFO Videos Are Classified And...Sep 8, 2022 — After a nearly two and a half year effort, The Black Vault was denied un...
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Source: theblackvault.com
Title: u s navy investigated circumstances behind leaked ufo footage
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Navy Investigated Circumstances Behind Leaked UFO...Sep 17, 2019 — In recent statements given to The Black Vault, the Navy admits they w...
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Navy Releases Dates of Three Officially...Sep 11, 2019 — According to Joseph Gradisher, official spokesperson for the Deputy Chief of Na...
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Additional References
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These videos, previously surfaced through The New York Times in 2017, were not initially authorized by the Pentagon, though they were ack...
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Source: wdef.com
Link: https://www.wdef.com/navy-official-confirms-unidentified-aerial-phenomena-videos/Source snippet
Navy official confirms "unidentified aerial phenomena" videosThe UFO footage was also never cleared for public release, Gradisher told Th...
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Link: https://abcnews.com/Politics/pentagon-declassifies-[navy-videos -
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Title: the navy considers the phenomena containeddepicted in those these videos as unid
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Title: 2019 09 17 navy confirms ufo videos show unidentified aerial phenomena
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Navy Confirms UFO Videos Show 'Unidentified Aerial...18 Sept 2019 — The United States Navy has confirmed that the much-discussed trio of...
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Title: 2019 09 17 navy confirms ufo videos show unidentified aerial phenomena
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Confirms UFO Videos Show 'Unidentified Aerial...17 Sept 2019 — The United States Navy has confirmed that the much-discussed trio of UFO...
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Navy Confirms Mysterious Videos Show Pilots Spotting UFOsSep 18, 2019 — "The Navy designates the objects contained in these videos as uni...
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Title: how the 2019 u s navy uap videos were officially confirmed
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Navy UAP Videos Were Officially ConfirmedFeb 14, 2025 — Officials acknowledged that some unidentified objects could represent advanced te...
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