AOIMSG Briefing Cards (FOIA 22-F-0381)

• The selection of USD(I&S) and the Director of Operations, Joint Staff on the AOIMEXEC
reflect the Department's characterization of this issue as both an operational and intelligence
problem, and provides strengthened guidance to ensure appropriate efforts are undertaken in
each area.
• Implementing guidance with further details on the AOIMSG Director, organizational
structure, authorities, and resourcing, is forthcoming.
Questions and Answers
Q. Why is the Deputy Secretary replacing the UAPTF?
A. The DNI report to Congress highlighted the challenges associated with assessing airborne
objects, including UAP, occurring on or near DOD training ranges and installations. It also
confirmed that the scope of the UAP activity expands significantly beyond Navy's purview. The
report also identified the need to make improvements in processes, policies, technologies, and
training to improve our ability to understand UAP.
Q. What are the national security threats that the Pentagon is concerned about?
A. The Department of Defense takes seriously any incursion into our airspace by any aircraft,
identified or unidentified, very seriously.
Q. Is the U.S. not currently aware of items in its airspace?
A. Not all objects in U.S. airspace are tracked and identified, especially if they are small and
don't pose a threat. However, the increase in unmanned aerial systems and airspace debris has
highlighted that there are a number of objects which do pose a concern. This effort lowers the
threshold for items to be considered and evaluated to ensure that we are able to identify any
items that may pose a threat to safety of flight or national security.
Q. Why is the data you have insufficient? What else do you need?
A. Encounters with UAP are often brief and fleeting, and frequently involve a single source,
such as a verbal report or a single photograph. We need more data and a better reporting
structure — standardized reporting, timely reporting, and further reducing the stigma about
reporting on UAP so that we have more reports for pattern and trend analysis.
Q. Who is going to be the AOIMSG Director/what can you tell me about the AOIMSG
budget/organization/size/members/personnelloperationsietc.?
A. As Deputy Secretary Hicks noted in her memo, implementing guidance is forthcoming.
Q. Can you explain the SUA term? Why are you using that now?
A. Special Use Airspace is designated in accordance with 14 CFR Part 73. It's a more accurate
term for airspace that the AOIMSG will be focusing on. SUA is airspace that is restricted for
national security and other uses, and includes military operations areas, firing ranges, etc. For
the AOIMSG, we are not interested in looking at all airspace in the world; the AOIMSG will be
focused on the areas where there are security risks to our training, operations, and infrastructure.
[This is no different than what the UAPTF was focused on — military training ranges and
operations airspace.]
Coordinated with: OUSD(I&S). ODNI
Prepared by: 2