A US reaper drone detected a mysterious unidentified flying object (UFO) in the form of a "metallic orb" in the Middle East in 2022, a US defense official told Congress on Wednesday, according to US media reports.
As part of the most recent U.S. defense sector update on the UFO issue, Kirkpatrick, who leads the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), revealed previously classified footage of the orb.
In particular, Kirkpatrick noted that UFO sightings are increasing, and the agency is tracking approximately 650 specific incidents. However, he clarified that there is no evidence that any of this is due to aliens, as reported by Politico.
CNN reported a significant increase from the 350 incidents cited in a report shared with legislators earlier this year.
This is the second time in 2023 that Pentagon officials have appeared before US legislators to provide an update on the numerous UFO cases, also known as an unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAPs), which many view as a threat to national security.
What exactly are UAPs and UFOs?
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena and Unidentified Flying Objects are essentially unidentified aerial phenomena. However, it is frequently used to refer to unidentified and obscure aircraft.
UFO observations have been a part of human culture for hundreds of years, with a notable increase in frequency during the 20th century. It has become a prominent part of popular culture, with many asserting that they indicate intelligent alien life visiting Earth.
However, for many countries worldwide, the primary concern regarding UFOs is geopolitical: that these aircraft belong to other countries or entities on Earth and are being used to monitor other countries' interests and activities surreptitiously or that they are crossing into a nation's sovereign territory. This would also imply that other nations, such as the United States rivals Russia and China, may have made technological advancements that Washington is unaware of.
This is why militaries and national security agencies have examined UFOs and UAPs more than scientists.
Following the shooting down of several UFOs by US forces, many of which are believed to be Chinese surveillance balloons, this issue has become even more prominent.
Kirkpatrick's footage, however, had nothing in common with a Chinese surveillance balloon.
What type of UFO was observed in the Middle East?
In footage dated July 12, 2022, and posted online by the US Department of Defense, a US military MQ-9 reaper drone can be seen observing a strange metallic silver orb-like object flying below it at what appears to be very high speeds while its camera attempts to track it.
This footage is significant because, while previously declassified UFO footage from the United States military existed, it was captured by pilots in manned aircraft. However, this one was captured by a drone.
However, this is not the only time this particular UFO has been spotted; a strange flying metallic orb has purportedly been spotted numerous times in the Middle East.
What possible explanation could there be for this?
Kirkpatrick stated that there is none, but the dearth of available data explains why. According to ABC News, he said, "It will be nearly impossible to identify that based on that video alone fully."
He also shared a second video, captured by reaper drones in January 2023 in South Asia. This footage was initially believed to be an inexplicable anomaly. CNN reported that the AARO has since concluded that the object was a thermal signature from a nearby commercial aircraft.
Kirkpatrick, Chinese Spy Balloons, Aliens, and UFOs
In February, Kirkpatrick made headlines when his office helped identify the Chinese surveillance balloon in US airspace. Numerous UFO sightings followed this in the United States and Canada, all of which were brought down.
Kirkpatrick has also attracted the interest of UFO enthusiasts, who believe these objects may indicate intelligent life in the universe.
In March, he and Israeli-American astronomer and Harvard University professor Avi Loeb proposed that an alien mothership may have been dispatching UFO probes to Earth.
In the mainstream scientific community, Loeb is a leading advocate for SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelligence) research and has long advocated that scientists examine the possibility that humanity is not alone in the universe.
While Kirkpatrick quickly clarified that there is currently no evidence of alien activity and only a small percentage of UFO sightings could be classified as anomalous, he urged UFO enthusiasts to submit their findings, research, and analyses to credible scientific journals for peer review. In the end, this is also what AARO is doing.
Kirkpatrick reportedly stated, "That is how science works," according to ABC News. "Not by blog or social media."
