FOIA release DF-2021-00275: Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena

(U) SCOPE AND ASSUMPTIONS
(U) Scope
(U) This preliminary report is provided by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence
(ODNI) in response to a provision in Senate Report 116-233, accompanying the Intelligence
Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, that the DNI, in consultation with the Secretary of
Defense (SECDEF), is to submit an intelligence assessment of the threat posed by unidentified
aerial phenomena (UAP) and the progress the Department of Defense Unidentified Aerial
Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) has made in understanding this threat.
(U) This report provides an overview for policymakers of the challenges associated with
characterizing the potential threat posed by UAP while also providing a means to develop
relevant processes, policies, technologies, and training for the U.S. military and other U.S.
Government (USG) personnel if and when they encounter UAP, so as to enhance the Intelligence
Community’s (IC) ability to understand the threat. The UAPTF Director, is the official
accountable for ensuring the timely collection and consolidation of data on UAP. The dataset
described in this report is currently limited primarily to USG reporting of incidents occurring
from November 2004 to March 2021. Data continues to be collected and analyzed.
(U) This report was prepared for the Congressional Intelligence and Armed Services Committees
under the auspices of the ODNI. It was drafted by the UAPTF and the ODNI National
Intelligence Manager for Aviation, with input from USD(I&S), DIA, FBI, NRO, NGA,
NSA, Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, DARPA, FAA, NASA, NOAA, ODNI/NIM-
Emerging and Disruptive Technology, ODNI/National Counterintelligence and Security Center,
and ODNI/National Intelligence Council.
(U) Assumptions
(U) Various forms of sensors that register UAP generally operate correctly and capture enough
real data to allow initial assessments, but some UAP may be attributable to sensor anomalies.(b)(3)(b)(1)(b)(3)(b)(3)Approved for release by ODNI on 03-24-2022, FOIA case DF-2021-00275Approved for release by ODNI on 03-24-2022, FOIA case DF-2021-00275