A contrast that grows as the aircraft closes in (2020; "Middle East" in the title, "Southern United States" in the listing)
This is the only Department of the Air Force video in Release 01: 58 seconds of infrared footage from a U.S. military platform. The sensor locks on an area of contrast, which becomes more distinct and larger until it leaves at bottom right at 00:57. This is the only Release 01 video for which AARO offers a partial explanation. It says the growth in apparent size is "likely attributable, at least in part, to the U.S. platform closing the distance." The location is inconsistent: the title says Middle East, while the war.gov listing says Southern United States. The reporter gave no description. *Method note: war.gov blocks this server, and the video itself was not viewed. Everything in this write-up comes from the official war.gov description, as reproduced and summarised on the ufotransparency.com mirror page. The same clip is published on DVIDS (linked below). Location is the incident location shown in the war.gov listing, as carried on the mirror page. The official description states that it is "informational" and not "an analytical judgment, investigative conclusion, or factual determination".*
Evidence, in date order (1)
- 2020Department of the Air Force via AARO (U.S. military platform sensor)sensor data58 s infrared video with reticle lock on a growing contrast DOW-UAP-PR45
How plausible · High
Released official sensor footage of unresolved contrasts; no identified witness or independent backing, but the data itself is real. AARO explains only the apparent size growth.
- ●●Access A U.S. military sensor recorded it.
- ●●No gain sought Released by the government; nobody profits.
- ●●Checkable details check out Released on war.gov (PURSUE).
- ●●Physical traces or official reaction Instrument data: the clip itself.
- ●○Restraint The uploader's title frames it as UAP without explaining it.
- ●○Character record An official record, uploader unnamed.
Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.
On the record
- Source video runs 58 seconds and was captured by an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform in 2020. (DOW-UAP-PR45, official description as summarised by the mirror)
- The Department of the Air Force submitted the case to AARO; no reporter narrative, written or oral, accompanies the footage. (DOW-UAP-PR45, official description as summarised by the mirror)
- At 00:00 to 00:03 the sensor tracks an area of contrast and acquires a reticle lock. (DOW-UAP-PR45, official description as summarised by the mirror)
- From 00:04 to 00:30 the area of contrast gradually grows more distinct against the background. (DOW-UAP-PR45, official description as summarised by the mirror)
- At 00:31 the sensor narrows its field of view to zoom in on the contrast area. (DOW-UAP-PR45, official description as summarised by the mirror)
- From 00:32 to 00:56 the area of contrast increases in apparent size and distinctiveness. (DOW-UAP-PR45, official description as summarised by the mirror)