What is the US Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP)?

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Key Takeaways

• The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program was a US government initiative funded from 2007 to 2012 to study unidentified aerial phenomena.
• Initiated by Senator Harry Reid, the program allocated $22 million primarily to Bigelow Aerospace for research into exotic propulsion and aerodynamic theories.
• Public disclosure of the program in 2017 led to the release of three US Navy videos and the eventual establishment of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office.

Introduction

The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) represents a significant chapter in the history of the United States government’s engagement with unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). Operating largely out of public view from 2007 until its funding ceased in 2012, the program was tasked with assessing potential threats posed by advanced aerospace vehicles that appeared to defy conventional laws of aerodynamics and propulsion. While the program remained classified for several years, its existence was brought to global attention in December 2017, fundamentally altering the public discourse regarding UAP and prompting a renewed focus on national security implications associated with unidentified craft.

The program emerged during a period when reports from military personnel, particularly aviators, described encounters with objects demonstrating capabilities far exceeding those of the US inventory or known foreign assets. These capabilities included hypersonic speeds without sonic booms, instantaneous acceleration, and the ability to operate across multiple domains – such as moving from space to the atmosphere and then into the ocean – without structural compromise. The program sought to apply scientific rigor to these reports, commissioning technical studies and analyzing data to determine if these objects represented a leap in technology by a foreign adversary or something altogether different.

Although the official funding for the program concluded in 2012, the efforts initiated by its staff continued informally and eventually paved the way for modern successor organizations within the Department of Defense. The legacy of this initiative is evident in the current legislative and military structures dedicated to UAP investigation, including the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) and the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO).

Origins and Establishment

The genesis of the program can be traced to 2007, driven by the interest of Harry Reid , then the Senate Majority Leader. Reid had long held an interest in the subject of unexplained aerial phenomena, an interest shared by his colleagues, Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska and Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. The three senators secured funding for the initiative through a “black money” appropriation, meaning the funds were allocated for classified purposes within the defense budget and not subject to public debate.

The total funding allocated for the program was $22 million over a five-year period. The primary motivation was the concern that foreign adversaries, such as China or Russia, might have developed next-generation propulsion technologies that could threaten United States national security. The program was established within the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the arm of the Department of Defense responsible for providing military intelligence to policymakers and force planners.

A central figure in the operational side of the program was Luis Elizondo , a career intelligence officer who served as the program’s director. Elizondo managed the daily operations, coordination with military branches, and the review of incoming data regarding UAP encounters. The program operated with a small staff and relied heavily on contracted experts to perform technical analyses. The establishment of this program marked a departure from the US government’s previous stance, which had largely dismissed UFO investigations following the closure of Project Blue Book in 1969.

The AAWSAP Connection

A significant portion of the program’s funding and research was executed through a contract designated as the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP). While the names AATIP and AAWSAP are often used interchangeably in public discourse, there is a technical distinction. AAWSAP was the specific contract vehicle solicited by the DIA to produce technical reports and conduct research.

The solicitation for this contract attracted a single bidder: Bigelow Aerospace (BAASS), a company founded by billionaire entrepreneur Robert Bigelow . Bigelow, a close associate of Senator Reid, had a longstanding interest in paranormal and aerospace phenomena. The contract awarded to BAASS tasked the company with studying a broad range of topics related to advanced aerospace technologies.

Under this contract, BAASS hired scientists, engineers, and investigators to analyze reports and conduct theoretical research. The scope of the AAWSAP contract was ambitious, covering not only the analysis of UAP sightings but also the exploration of theoretical physics concepts that might explain the observed performance characteristics of these unidentified craft. The work performed by BAASS provided the intellectual and scientific foundation for the threat assessments that were the core mission of the DIA’s program.

Scientific Research and the DIRDs

One of the most tangible outputs of the program was a series of 38 technical papers known as Defense Intelligence Reference Documents (DIRDs). These papers were commissioned to explore the boundaries of modern science and engineering, focusing on technologies that could theoretically enable the capabilities observed in UAP encounters. The research topics were highly speculative and forward-looking, delving into areas of physics that remain on the theoretical fringe.

The following table lists the titles of these 38 research reports, which were later released to the public through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

These documents indicate that the program was interested in far more than simple observation; it sought to understand the physics that would be required to build the types of craft being reported. Concepts such as warp drive , invisibility cloaking , and traversable wormholes were analyzed to determine their feasibility over a 40-year horizon. This focus suggests that the program managers suspected the observed phenomena utilized propulsion methods that were not merely incremental improvements on jet engines or rockets, but rather exploited fundamental aspects of spacetime and gravity.

Operational Activities

Beyond theoretical research, the program maintained an operational component focused on the collection and analysis of sighting data. This work involved reviewing reports from military and civilian sources, with a particular emphasis on incidents involving US military assets. The program established a reporting mechanism, albeit one that was often informal due to the stigma associated with UFOs, for pilots and radar operators to document their encounters.

The team utilized a set of “observables” to categorize and analyze the behavior of the UAP. These five observables, often cited by Elizondo, became the standard criteria for identifying objects of interest:

1. Anti-gravity lift: Objects displaying no visible means of lift (wings, rotors) or propulsion (exhaust) yet remaining aloft.
2. Sudden and instantaneous acceleration: Objects capable of moving from a hover to hypersonic speeds in seconds, subjecting the craft to G-forces that would destroy known airframes and kill human pilots.
3. Hypersonic velocities without signatures: Objects traveling well above Mach 5 without generating a sonic boom or heat signature typically associated with atmospheric friction.
4. Low observability: Objects that are difficult to track on radar or observe with the naked eye, often demonstrating stealth capabilities.
5. Trans-medium travel: Objects capable of moving seamlessly between space, the atmosphere, and water.

The program’s analysts reviewed radar data, gun camera footage, and eyewitness testimony to determine if specific incidents met these criteria. They also coordinated with the United States Navy to investigate incidents occurring in military training ranges, where UAP encounters were becoming a safety hazard for aviators.

The Three Key Videos

The work of the program gained worldwide notoriety through the release of three specific videos captured by US Navy aircraft. These videos, known as “Gimbal,” “GoFast,” and “FLIR1” (also known as the “Tic Tac” video), provided the public with visual evidence of the phenomena the program was investigating.

The “FLIR1” video documents an encounter from November 2004 involving the USS Nimitz carrier strike group off the coast of Southern California. Navy pilots Commander David Fravor and Lieutenant Commander Alex Dietrich visually engaged a white, oblong object resembling a “Tic Tac” mint. The object mirrored the pilots’ movements before accelerating away at incredible speed. The video, captured by a second aircraft, shows the object moving with no exhaust plume.

The “Gimbal” and “GoFast” videos were recorded in January 2015 by Navy pilots from the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group off the East Coast of the United States. “Gimbal” shows an object rotating in mid-air against strong winds while pilots express amazement over the radio. “GoFast” shows an object skimming the surface of the ocean at high speed, tracked by the aircraft’s sensor systems. These videos were instrumental in validating the claims made by the program’s proponents regarding the existence of physical objects with superior flight characteristics.

The 2017 Disclosure

The existence of the program remained a secret until October 2017, when Luis Elizondo resigned from his position at the Pentagon. In his resignation letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis , Elizondo expressed frustration with the department’s lack of attention to the potential threat posed by UAP. He argued that the data collected by the program warranted a higher priority and more resources.

Following his resignation, Elizondo joined forces with Christopher Mellon , a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, and journalists Leslie Kean , Ralph Blumenthal , and Helene Cooper . Their collaboration led to a pivotal article published on the front page of The New York Times on December 16, 2017.

The article, titled “Glowing Auras and ‘Black Money’: The Pentagon’s Mysterious U.F.O. Program,” revealed the existence of the program, its budget, and its findings to the world. It included the release of the “Gimbal” and “FLIR1” videos, which had been cleared for release by the Department of Defense just prior to Elizondo’s departure. This disclosure forced the Pentagon to acknowledge the program’s existence and initiated a cascade of events that transformed UAP from a fringe topic into a serious national security issue.

Transition to Formal Offices

The revelations of 2017 and the subsequent public pressure led to a series of legislative actions and the establishment of new government bodies. Congress, now aware of the incursions into military airspace, began to demand answers. This resulted in the creation of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) in August 2020.

In July 2022, the Department of Defense established the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to serve as the centralized office for all UAP-related activities. AARO’s mandate is broader than its predecessors, covering objects in the air, sea, and space. While the original threat identification program has long since concluded, its DNA is embedded in these modern organizations. The protocols for reporting sightings, the analytical frameworks, and the focus on national security implications all stem from the groundwork laid by the program between 2007 and 2012.

Summary

The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program represents a pivotal moment in the study of unidentified aerial phenomena. By allocating federal resources to the scientific study of UAP, the United States government tacitly acknowledged that these objects are worthy of serious inquiry. The program’s focus on advanced physics and propulsion concepts through the AAWSAP contract highlighted the potential technological gap that these phenomena represent. The 2017 disclosure of the program’s existence and the release of corroborating video evidence stripped away decades of stigma, allowing for a more open and rigorous conversation about national security and the limits of our current aerospace technology. The establishment of permanent offices like AARO ensures that the work begun in 2007 continues, with a clear mandate to identify and attribute these anomalous objects.

Appendix: Top 10 Questions Answered in This Article

What was the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program?

The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) was a secret US government program funded from 2007 to 2012. It was tasked with investigating unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) and assessing potential threats to national security.

Who initiated the program?

The program was initiated by Senator Harry Reid, with the support of Senators Ted Stevens and Daniel Inouye. They secured $22 million in classified funding to launch the investigation.

What was the difference between AATIP and AAWSAP?

AAWSAP was the specific contract awarded to Bigelow Aerospace to conduct research and produce technical reports. AATIP was the name used by the Pentagon for the overall effort to identify aerospace threats, often used interchangeably with the contract in public discussions.

Who was the director of the program?

Luis Elizondo, a career military intelligence officer, served as the director of the program. He managed the daily operations and eventually resigned in 2017 to protest the lack of resources and attention given to the UAP issue.

What were the “Five Observables”?

The Five Observables were the characteristics used to identify UAP: anti-gravity lift, sudden and instantaneous acceleration, hypersonic velocities without signatures, low observability, and trans-medium travel.

What are the DIRDs?

The DIRDs, or Defense Intelligence Reference Documents, are a collection of 38 technical research papers commissioned by the program. They explored speculative technologies like warp drives, wormholes, and invisibility cloaking.

What videos are associated with the program?

Three US Navy videos known as “Gimbal,” “GoFast,” and “FLIR1” (Tic Tac) were associated with the program. These videos show unidentified objects performing maneuvers that appeared to defy conventional aerodynamics.

Why did the program end?

The official funding for the program ended in 2012 due to shifting priorities within the Department of Defense. However, proponents like Luis Elizondo claim the work continued informally until his resignation in 2017.

How was the program revealed to the public?

The program was revealed in a New York Times article published on December 16, 2017. The article disclosed the existence of the program, its $22 million budget, and included the release of Navy UAP videos.

What organizations succeeded this program?

The program was succeeded by the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) and later the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). These offices continue the work of investigating and resolving UAP sightings.

Appendix: Top 10 Frequently Searched Questions Answered in This Article

What is the purpose of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program?

The purpose of the program was to study unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) and determine if they posed a threat to United States national security. It aimed to understand the physics and technology behind these objects.

How long does the program operate?

The program operated with official funding for five years, from 2007 to 2012. Informal efforts by the staff continued until the public disclosure in 2017.

What are the benefits of studying UAP?

Studying UAP helps the military identify potential foreign adversarial technology and ensures the safety of flight for aviators. It also opens avenues for discovering new principles of physics and advanced propulsion.

What is the difference between UAP and UFO?

UAP stands for Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, a term used by the military to avoid the stigma associated with UFO (Unidentified Flying Object). Both terms refer to airborne objects that cannot be immediately identified.

Who is Robert Bigelow?

Robert Bigelow is a billionaire entrepreneur and the founder of Bigelow Aerospace. His company was the primary contractor for the program, conducting research into advanced aerospace technologies.

Did the program find aliens?

The program did not definitively prove the existence of extraterrestrial life. It focused on identifying the capabilities of the observed craft, leaving the origin of the objects as an open question.

Is the program still active today?

The specific program known as AATIP is no longer active, having lost funding in 2012. However, its mission has been assumed by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO).

How much money did the government spend on the program?

The government spent $22 million on the program over a five-year period. Most of this money went to the contract with Bigelow Aerospace for technical research.

What is the “Tic Tac” incident?

The “Tic Tac” incident refers to a 2004 encounter involving the USS Nimitz carrier group and a white, oblong UAP. It is one of the most famous cases investigated by the program.

Where can I find the program’s reports?

Many of the program’s technical reports, known as DIRDs, have been released to the public via the Freedom of Information Act. They can be found in various online archives and databases.