미기밀-2022년-연례-보고서-미확인 이상 현상(UAP)

2022 Report: Office of the Director of National Intelligence Annual Report on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena

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OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
2022 Annual Report on
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................... 2
SCOPE AND ASSUMPTIONS .................................................................................................... 3
Scope ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Assumptions ............................................................................................................................. 3
GOVERNMENTAL CHANGES TO MANAGE UAP ISSUES ............................................... 4
Establishment of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) ................................ 4
ODNI Coordinating with AARO and Multi-Agency Partners, Seeking Opportunities to
Assist in Collection, Reporting, and Analysis of UAP Incidents across the IC ....................... 4
CONTINUED REPORTING AND ROBUST ANALYSIS ARE PROVIDING BETTER
FIDELITY ON UAP EVENTS, BUT MANY CASES REMAIN UNRESOLVED ................ 5
UAP Reporting ......................................................................................................................... 5
Partnerships and Collaboration ................................................................................................ 5
Flight Safety Concerns and Health Implications ..................................................................... 6
SUMMARY AND WAY AHEAD ............................................................................................... 7
APPENDIX A: ANNUAL REPORT ON UAP—FY 2022 NDAA ............................................ 8
APPENDIX B: AARO ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE AND DUTIES—FY 2022 NDAA
....................................................................................................................................................... 10
APPENDIX C: INDEX OF KEY TERMS ............................................................................... 11
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) reporting is increasing, enabling a greater
awareness of the airspace and increased opportunity to resolve UAP events. In addition to the
144 UAP reports covered during the 17 years of UAP reporting included in the Office of the
Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) preliminary assessment, there have been 247 new
reports and another 119 that were either since discovered or reported after the preliminary
assessment’s time period. This totals 510 UAP reports as of 30 August 2022. Additional
information is provided in the classified version of this report.
AARO and ODNI assess that the observed increase in the UAP reporting rate is partially
due to a better understanding of the possible threats that UAP may represent, either as safety of
flight hazards or as potential adversary collection platforms, and partially due to reduced stigma
surrounding UAP reporting. This increased reporting allows more opportunities to apply
rigorous analysis and resolve events.
The establishment of the Department of Defense (DoD) All-Domain Anomaly Resolution
Office (AARO) should facilitate more coordinated UAP efforts, resulting in greater attribution of
UAP. While limited data on UAP continues to be a challenge, the establishment of AARO—
with its broad scope of authorities and responsibilities, and its replacement of the Unidentified
Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF)—will allow for increased coordination of efforts
against the UAP problem set. AARO’s authorities ensure that UAP detection and identification
efforts will span across DoD and relevant interagency partners, as well as the Intelligence
Community (IC), with the support and coordination of the National Intelligence Manager for
Aviation (NIM-Aviation). NIM-Aviation’s and AARO’s coordination efforts will improve U.S.
Government awareness of objects in the airspace and resolution of UAP events (see Appendix
B).
UAP events continue to occur in restricted or sensitive airspace, highlighting possible
concerns for safety of flight or adversary collection activity. We continue to assess that this may
result from a collection bias due to the number of active aircraft and sensors, combined with
focused attention and guidance to report anomalies. AARO, in conjunction with NIM-Aviation
and the IC, will continue to investigate any evidence of possible foreign government
involvement in UAP events.
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SCOPE AND ASSUMPTIONS
Scope
This annual report is provided by ODNI in response to a requirement established in
Section 1683 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022,
Establishment of Office, Organizational Structure, and Authorities to Address Unidentified
Aerial Phenomena. Subsection (h) of that section states “the Director [of National Intelligence—
DNI], in consultation with the Secretary [of Defense—SECDEF], shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on unidentified aerial phenomena” (See Appendix A).
In addition to responding to the required elements delineated in the NDAA, this report
details the establishment and coordinating efforts between ODNI and the newly-created DoD
AARO. This report provides an overview for policymakers of UAP1 that have been reported
since the 05 March 2021 information cut-off date for ODNI’s preliminary assessment on UAP,
published 25 June 2021. Per the NDAA, AARO delivers quarterly reports on UAP to
policymakers that contain greater detail regarding analysis and attribution of UAP events.
This report was drafted by ODNI's NIM-Aviation in conjunction with AARO. It includes
input from the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security (USD[I&S]), the
Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National
Reconnaissance Office (NRO), the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), the
National Security Agency (NSA), the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Marine Corps, the
U.S. Air Force, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
the Department of Energy (DoE), ODNI/NIM-Emerging and Disruptive Technology (NIM-
EDT), ODNI/National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC), and ODNI/National
Intelligence Council (ODNI/NIC).
Assumptions
Multiple factors affect the observation or detection of UAP, such as weather,
illumination, atmospheric effects, or the accurate interpretation of sensor data. Regarding review
or analysis of UAP events, ODNI and AARO operate under the assumption that UAP reports are
derived from the observer’s accurate recollection of the event and/or sensors that generally
operate correctly and capture enough real data to allow initial assessments. However, ODNI and
AARO acknowledge that a select number of UAP incidents may be attributable to sensor
irregularities or variances, such as operator or equipment error.
1 The FY 2022 NDAA expands the definition of UAP to include air, sea, and transmedium objects, and this report
maintains that nomenclature during the transition phase and stand up of AARO.
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GOVERNMENTAL CHANGES TO MANAGE UAP ISSUES
Establishment of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)
The Deputy Secretary of Defense directed the USD(I&S) to establish an office with
sufficient scope, authorities, responsibilities, and capabilities to continue the UAPTF efforts and
meet the expanded criteria. AARO was established as the UAPTF’s successor entity on 20 July
2022. Per its mandate, AARO has the authority to coordinate UAP efforts beyond DoD and is
authorized to develop processes and procedures to synchronize and standardize collection,
reporting, and analysis throughout not just DoD, but the IC as well, with the support and
coordination of NIM-Aviation. AARO will coordinate with other non-IC agencies such as the
FAA, NASA, NOAA, and the non-IC elements of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
and the Department of Energy (DOE), as appropriate. The broad scope of authority granted to
AARO should enable them to leverage a multi-agency, whole-of-government approach to
understanding, resolving, and attributing UAP in the future.
ODNI Coordinating with AARO and Multi-Agency Partners, Seeking Opportunities to
Assist in Collection, Reporting, and Analysis of UAP Incidents across the IC
Since the June 2021 publication of ODNI’s preliminary assessment on UAP, ODNI has
developed strategic guidance to enhance further collection, which AARO and ODNI will
leverage to prepare, collect, and report on UAP in a comprehensive manner for the IC. NIM-
Aviation will remain the IC’s focal point for UAP issues, while AARO is the DoD focal point for
these issues and related activities. AARO will represent DoD to the interagency, Congress,
media, and public, in coordination with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs
and the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (OSD[PA]). AARO’s mission
and responsibilities are contained in Appendix B.
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CONTINUED REPORTING AND ROBUST ANALYSIS ARE PROVIDING
BETTER FIDELITY ON UAP EVENTS, BUT MANY CASES REMAIN
UNRESOLVED
UAP Reporting
The ODNI preliminary assessment on UAP discussed 144 UAP reports and had an
information cut-off date of 05 March 2021. Since then, AARO received a total of 247 new UAP
reports. An additional 119 UAP reports on events that occurred before 05 March 2021, but were
not included in the preliminary assessment, have been discovered or reported after the
preliminary assessment’s time period. These 366 additional reports, when combined with the
144 reports identified in the preliminary assessment, bring the total UAP reports catalogued to
date to 510.
Since its establishment in July 2022, AARO has formulated and started to leverage a
robust analytic process against identified UAP reporting. Once completed, AARO’s final
analytic findings will be available in their quarterly reports to policymakers. AARO’s initial
analysis and characterization of the 366 newly-identified reports, informed by a multi-agency
process, judged more than half as exhibiting unremarkable characteristics:
 26 characterized as Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) or UAS-like entities;
 163 characterized as balloon or balloon-like entities; and
 6 attributed to clutter.2
Initial characterization does not mean positively resolved or unidentified. This initial
characterization better enables AARO and ODNI to efficiently and effectively leverage resources
against the remaining 171 uncharacterized and unattributed UAP reports. Some of these
uncharacterized UAP appear to have demonstrated unusual flight characteristics or performance
capabilities, and require further analysis.
The majority of new UAP reporting originates from U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force
aviators and operators who witnessed UAP during the course of their operational duties and
reported the events to the UAPTF or AARO through official channels. Regardless of the
collection or reporting method, many reports lack enough detailed data to enable attribution of
UAP with high certainty.
Partnerships and Collaboration
ODNI and AARO are committed to the responsible sharing of UAP findings with
interagency partners (such as FAA and NASA), other stakeholders, congressional oversight,
international partners, and the public. AARO is working closely with the OSD(PA) and mission
partners to develop an information-sharing and messaging strategy that aims to maximize
transparency, while maintaining appropriate protections of sensitive sources and methods.
2 e.g., birds, weather events, or airborne debris like plastic bags.
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ODNI and AARO have maintained communication with our allied partners regarding
UAP, keeping them informed of developments and U.S. initiatives. The DoD and IC enterprises
are working collaboratively to report, identify, and resolve UAP events. Agencies across the IC
have established standard operating procedures that will streamline UAP resolution. For
example, AARO’s analytic methodology requires a whole-of-government approach to resolving
UAP events, to include analysts and science and technology specialists, to help resolve UAP
events.
Flight Safety Concerns and Health Implications
UAP pose a safety of flight and collision hazard to air assets, potentially requiring aircraft
operators to adjust flight patterns in response to their unauthorized presence in the airspace,
operating outside of air traffic control standards and instruction. To date, there have been no
reported collisions between U.S. aircraft and UAP. Regarding health concerns, there have also
been no encounters with UAP confirmed to contribute directly to adverse health-related effects
to the observer(s). Acknowledging that health-related effects may appear at any time after an
event occurs, AARO will track any reported health implications related to UAP should they
emerge.
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SUMMARY AND WAY AHEAD
UAP continue to represent a hazard to flight safety and pose a possible adversary
collection threat. Since the publication of the ODNI preliminary assessment in June 2021, UAP
reporting has increased, partially due to a concentrated effort to destigmatize the topic of UAP
and instead recognize the potential risks that it poses as both a safety of flight hazard and
potential adversarial activity. Whereas there were previously 144 UAP reports covered during
the 17 years of UAP reporting included in the ODNI preliminary assessment on UAP, there have
been 247 more UAP reports during the 17 months since. Combined with another 119 reports
either discovered or reported late that fell within the original 17 year period but were not
included in the preliminary assessment, a total of 510 UAP reports are currently catalogued.
AARO has been established as the DoD focal point for UAP. In an effort to gain
fidelity on the nature of UAP and the possible risk UAP represent, Congress required the
establishment of a central office for all UAP matters in the FY 2022 NDAA. That office
formally became operational as the AARO, under the USD(I&S), in July 2022. AARO is the
single focal point for all DoD UAP efforts, leading a whole-of-government approach to
coordinate UAP collection, reporting, and analysis efforts throughout DoD, the IC, and beyond,
to include other government agencies not in the IC, as well as foreign allies and partners of the
United States.
Coordinated efforts between DoD, the IC, and other government agencies to collect
and report UAP events have resulted in increased data sets, spanning multiple security
domains. AARO, in coordination with the IC, is focused on identifying solutions to manage and
alleviate the resulti