Within Navy Videos
When the Pentagon formally released three Navy infrared videos in April 2020, it made a narrow but important claim. The Department of Defense did not announce that the objects in the footage were extraterrestrial, technologically extraordinary, or even permanently unexplained.
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Introduction
Within the broader discussion of Navy infrared videos and public evidence, the Pentagon release is significant because it changed the status of the evidence rather than the interpretation of the evidence. Understanding that difference is essential to understanding what was, and was not, disclosed.
Why Pentagon Confirmation Changed the Debate
Before the Pentagon’s 2020 release, the three videos—commonly known as FLIR, GIMBAL and GOFAST—had already circulated publicly for years. They appeared in media reports and had been discussed extensively by UFO researchers, journalists and sceptics. Yet questions about provenance remained. Were the videos genuine military recordings? Had they been altered? Were they being presented accurately? [WIRED]wired.comDoes It Matter That the DOD Released Those UFO Videos?These videos, previously surfaced through The New York Times in 2017, were not initially authorized by the Pentagon, though they were ack…
The Department of Defense addressed that uncertainty directly. Its statement explained that the videos were authentic, unclassified Navy footage and that their release was intended to clear up public misconceptions about whether the circulating material was real. The department also stated that releasing the videos would not reveal sensitive capabilities or interfere with investigations into unidentified aerial phenomena. [U.S. Department of War]war.govU.S. Department of War Statement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of tU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…(#endnote-1 “Snippet: U.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release…The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…”) [space]space.comufos videos declassified navy releaseSpace'UFO' videos declassified by US Navy28 Apr 2020 — Department of Defense officials decided to release the videos after determining th… This mattered because provenance is a fundamental issue in evidence assessment. A blurry image with uncertain origins is difficult to evaluate. A blurry image with confirmed military provenance is still difficult to interpret, but it occupies a different evidential category. The Pentagon effectively settled the question of source authenticity while leaving the question of object identification unresolved. [U.S. Department of War]war.govU.S. Department of War Statement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of tU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…(#endnote-1 “Snippet: U.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release…The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…”)
For disclosure advocates, that official acknowledgement was a milestone. For sceptics, it was also important because it provided a verified evidential foundation from which technical analysis could proceed. Both sides could now debate the content of the videos without spending as much effort arguing about whether the footage itself was genuine.
Authenticity Versus Explanation
A persistent misunderstanding emerged after the release: many observers interpreted Pentagon confirmation as confirmation of extraordinary claims.
The actual wording was much narrower. The Department of Defense stated that the aerial phenomena in the videos remained characterised as “unidentified.” In government usage, “unidentified” means that an object or observation had not been conclusively explained at the relevant time. It does not imply alien origin, advanced technology, or any specific explanation. [U.S. Department of War]war.govU.S. Department of War Statement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of tU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…(#endnote-1 “Snippet: U.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release…The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…”)
The distinction can be illustrated through two separate questions:
- Is the footage authentic? The Pentagon answered yes.
- What are the objects? The Pentagon did not provide a definitive answer.
These are fundamentally different claims. Authenticity concerns the origin and integrity of evidence. Explanation concerns the interpretation of that evidence. The 2020 release addressed the first issue far more than the second. [U.S. Department of War]war.govU.S. Department of War Statement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of tU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…(#endnote-1 “Snippet: U.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release…The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…”)
This distinction also explains why technical disagreements persisted after the release. Analysts continued to debate whether apparent extraordinary movements reflected sensor effects, viewing geometry, glare, range uncertainty or genuinely unusual behaviour. Pentagon confirmation did not resolve those disputes because authenticity alone cannot determine what a recorded object actually was. [WIRED]wired.comDoes It Matter That the DOD Released Those UFO Videos?These videos, previously surfaced through The New York Times in 2017, were not initially authorized by the Pentagon, though they were ack…
How Public Wording Shaped Later Claims
The government’s language played an unusually large role in shaping public perception.
Prior to the 2020 release, Navy spokesperson Joseph Gradisher had already confirmed that the service regarded the phenomena depicted in the videos as “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena” (UAP). He emphasised that the Navy considered the objects unidentified rather than classified them under any particular explanation. The Navy also framed the issue partly as one of aviation safety and incursions into military training areas. [TIME]time.comJoseph Gradisher, spokesman for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, acknowledged the footage as depicting "Unidentified Aerial Phenomen…
Because the words “unidentified” and “confirmed” appeared together in public discussion, many audiences collapsed them into a single conclusion. Headlines often focused on the fact that the Pentagon had released “UFO videos,” while the more limited meaning of official confirmation received less attention. As a result, some readers inferred that the government had validated extraordinary interpretations when it had primarily validated the provenance of the footage. [British GQ]gq-magazine.co.ukBritish GQThe Pentagon says UFOs are realSo why do we still…18 May 2021 — “DoD is releasing the videos in order to clear up any misconceptions by the public on whether or not…
The Pentagon itself attempted to limit that interpretation. Its public statements consistently described the videos as recordings of unidentified phenomena rather than evidence of extraterrestrial craft. Subsequent government efforts, including formal UAP investigation programmes, likewise focused on identifying and assessing unusual observations rather than endorsing any particular explanation. [U.S. Department of War]war.govU.S. Department of War Statement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of tU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…(#endnote-1 “Snippet: U.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release…The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…”)
The wording nevertheless had lasting consequences. In the disclosure movement, the release became a symbolic proof that governments sometimes possess authentic records of unusual observations. Critics accepted that point but argued that authenticated records are not the same thing as authenticated conclusions. The resulting debate continues to revolve around the same distinction.
What Official Release Actually Means as Evidence
The strongest takeaway from the Pentagon’s action is not that it solved a mystery, but that it clarified the evidential status of three famous videos.
Official release established several points:
- The videos were genuine Navy recordings. [time.com]time.comJoseph Gradisher, spokesman for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, acknowledged the footage as depicting "Unidentified Aerial Phenomen…
- The Department of Defense authorised their public release.
- The footage was considered unclassified.
- The observations had not been publicly identified at the time of release.
- The release itself did not endorse any extraordinary explanation. [U.S. Department of War]war.govU.S. Department of War Statement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of tU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…(#endnote-1 “Snippet: U.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release…The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…”) [space]space.comufos videos declassified navy releaseSpace'UFO' videos declassified by US Navy28 Apr 2020 — Department of Defense officials decided to release the videos after determining th… In a field long characterised by rumours, leaks and disputed documents, that confirmation was unusually valuable. It provided a verified starting point for discussion and investigation. Yet the evidential value of authenticity has limits. Knowing that footage is real does not automatically reveal what it depicts.
That tension—between confirmed provenance and uncertain interpretation—is one of the defining features of the Navy video controversy. The Pentagon’s 2020 release gave the videos official status, but it did not settle the larger question of what the recorded objects actually were. [U.S. Department of War]war.govU.S. Department of War Statement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of tU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release …The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…(#endnote-1 “Snippet: U.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release…The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th…”) [WIRED]wired.comDoes It Matter That the DOD Released Those UFO Videos?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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Endnotes
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Source: war.gov
Link: https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/release/article/2165713/statement-by-the-department-of-defense-on-the-release-of-historical-[navy-videosSource snippet
U.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release...The Department of Defense has authorized the release of th...
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Source: space.com
Title: ufos videos declassified navy release
Link: https://www.space.com/ufos-videos-declassified-navy-release.htmlSource snippet
Space'UFO' videos declassified by US Navy28 Apr 2020 — Department of Defense officials decided to release the videos after determining th...
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Source: wired.com
Title: Does It Matter That the DOD Released Those UFO Videos?
Link: https://www.wired.com/story/does-it-matter-that-the-dod-released-those-ufo-videosSource snippet
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: gq-magazine.co.uk
Title: British GQThe Pentagon says UFOs are real
Link: https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/politics/article/pentagon-ufos-uapsSource snippet
So why do we still...18 May 2021 — “DoD is releasing the videos in order to clear up any misconceptions by the public on whether or not...
Published: May 2021
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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
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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Source: secnav.navy.mil
Title: Secretary of the Navy Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs)
Link: https://www.secnav.navy.mil/foia/readingroom/CaseFiles/UAP%20INFO/UAP%20DOCUMENTS/PAO%20Briefing%20Card%202020-012022%20and%202022-006563.pdfSource snippet
Aerial Phenomena (UAPs) - secnav.navy.mil24 Jul 2020 — DOD STATEMENT of April 27, 2020. The Department of Defense has authorized the rele...
Published: April 27, 2020
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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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Source: navy.mil
Link: https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/2165713/Source snippet
The Department of Defense has authorized the release of three unclassified Navy videos, one taken in November 2004 and the other two in J...
Published: November 2004
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Source: war.gov
Link: https://www.war.gov/UFO/Source snippet
The first tranche was released on May 8, 2026. Scroll down to view the...Read more...
Published: May 8, 2026
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Source: war.gov
Link: https://www.war.gov/ufo/?releaseDate=Release&type=.vidSource snippet
Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP...24 hours ago — Download Release 02 Documents [70.1mb] Download Release 02 Videos [...
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Title: navy declassifies its notorious ufo sighting videos
Link: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/04/27/navy-declassifies-its-notorious-ufo-sighting-videos.htmlSource snippet
The Navy released this footage of an alleged UFO encounter on April 27, 2020. (...
Published: April 27, 2020
Additional References
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Source: 9news.com.au
Link: https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-navy-officially-says-ufo-videos-are-real/c9ffaa46-ba1a-466f-bced-27707c4d5d58Source snippet
US Navy officially says UFO videos are realThe US Navy has officially stated that three UFO videos made public are images of real "unknow...
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Source: yahoo.com
Title: tom delonge ufo videos confirmed navy unidentified aerial phenomena 185842155
Link: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tom-delonge-ufo-videos-confirmed-navy-unidentified-aerial-phenomena-185842155.htmlSource snippet
Navy says Tom DeLonge's videos show 'unidentified aerial...17 Sept 2019 — “The Navy considers the phenomena contained/depicted in those...
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Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAnsjGX6rC0 -
Source: wctv.tv
Title: The US Navy just confirmed these UFO videos are the real deal 560791481
Link: https://www.wctv.tv/content/news/The-US-Navy-just-confirmed-these-UFO-videos-are-the-real-deal-560791481.htmlSource snippet
The US Navy just confirmed these UFO videos are the real...19 Sept 2019 — The objects seen in three clips of declassified military foota...
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Source: news.iheart.com
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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Source: news.sky.com
Title: leaked classified ufo footage is real us navy confirms 11813737
Link: https://news.sky.com/story/leaked-classified-ufo-footage-is-real-us-navy-confirms-11813737Source snippet
Sky NewsLeaked classified 'UFO footage' is real, US Navy confirms20 Sept 2019 — Spokesman Joseph Gradisher told NBC News: "The three vide...
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Source: mynews13.com
Title: us navy admits ufo footage shows unidentified aerial phenomena
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US Navy Admits UFO Footage Shows Unidentified Aerial...20 Sept 2019 — The objects seen in three video clips from declassified military f...
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Link: https://www.axios.com/2020/08/14/pentagon-unidentified-aerial-phenomena-task-forceSource snippet
Department of Defense announced the formation of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF), which will be led by the Navy. The...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/navytimes/posts/navy-officials-would-neither-confirm-nor-deny-the-videos-authenticity/10156071015462490/Source snippet
Video reportedly shows Houthi rebels with captured underwater Navy drone. NAVYTIMES.Read more...
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Source: theguardian.com
Title: pentagon releases three ufo videos taken by us navy pilots
Link: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/27/pentagon-releases-three-ufo-videos-taken-by-us-navy-pilotsSource snippet
27 Apr 2020 — The Pentagon on Monday released three declassified videos that show US navy pilots encountering what appear to be unidentif...
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