Senior military officers reported that despite the Pentagon's renewed efforts, there is still no proof that aliens have visited Earth or crashed here.
US defense officials said per Al Jazeera on Friday that the Pentagon's efforts to look into strange, unexplained objects, whether in space, the sky, or underwater, have generated hundreds of fresh reports currently being looked into.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 17: U.S. Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence Scott Bray explains a video of an unidentified aerial phenomena, as he testifies before a House Intelligence Committee subcommittee hearing at the U.S. Capitol on May 17, 2022 in Washington, DC. The committee met to investigate Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, commonly referred to as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs).
Pentagon Receives Multiple UFO Sighting Report
The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), established in July, has received "many hundreds" of reports of unknown objects to look into, some of which date back years, according to Sean Kirkpatrick, the office director. These examples are in addition to the initial 144 that were looked at in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence's report from June 2021.
The number of instances that had been examined and decided upon was not disclosed by either officer. Although many of these situations wouldn't be seen as threatening, Moultrie said Friday when speaking to reporters at the Pentagon that they may involve "things like balloons and things like UAVs that are operated for reasons other than surveillance or intelligence collection."
However, Kirkpatrick responded "yes" when asked if any of the reports were suggestive of anything that may represent a threat to national security, military installation, or US soldiers.
"In the absence of being able to resolve what something is, we assume that it may be hostile, so we have to take that seriously," said Moultrie, per CNN.
ALSO READ: UFO Sightings or 'Chinese Surveillance Drones'? Here's What Pentagon Says
Pentagon to Deepen UFO Search
In addition to sensors, efforts have been made to enhance human intelligence gathering from soldiers and contractors watching these items.
According to Kirkpatrick, the stigma attached to UAP reporting has greatly diminished. Although that is encouraging news, he stated that further effort must be made by building on that advancement.
"ARO is working with the military departments and the joint staff to normalize, integrate, and expand UAP reporting beyond the aviators to all service members, including mariners, submariners, and our space guardians," Kirkpatrick said per The Drive.
That will be codified in the NDAA's provision on UAPs.
It also aims to lessen the stigma surrounding people who reported what is now known as UAPs. This includes better ways for DOD workers and contractors who know these items to come forward without fear of retaliation. Additionally, it demands that reports from January 1945 be looked at. This includes segregated programs that were buried deep within the system decades ago.
It is unclear how effective they will be given the US government's troubled and protracted experience with the subject.
Kirkpatrick stated that a fresh ODNI report "will be coming out shortly," which should at least provide a general overview of how things stand.
RELATED ARTICLE: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Seen In Ukraine Skies Debunks by Astrophysics
Check out more news and information on Space in Science Times.
