PA EST AOI Mgmt Sync Group 05-16-23 (FOIA 22-F-0249)

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Media colleagues,
P>)(6)
Tuesday, November 23, 2021 9:23 PM
Establishment of the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization
Group (AOIMSG)
20211123 DSD ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AOIMSG.pdf
Today, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, in close collaboration with the Director of National Intelligence,
directed the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security to establish within the Office of the USD(l&S) the
Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG) as the successor to the U.S. Navy's
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force. The AOIMSG will synchronize efforts across the Department and the
broader U.S. government to detect, identify and attribute objects of interests in Special Use Airspace (SUA), and to
assess and mitigate any associated threats to safety of flight and national security. To provide oversight of the AO IMSG,
the Deputy Secretary also directed the USD(l&S) to lead an Airborne Object Identification and Management Executive
Council (AOIMEXEC) to be comprised of DoD and Intelligence Community membership, and to offer a venue for U.S.
government interagency representation.
Incursions by any airborne object into our SUA pose safety of flight and operat ions security concerns, and may pose
national security challenges. DOD takes reports of incursions - by any airborne object, identified or unidentified - very
seriously, and investigates each one. This decision is the result of planning efforts and collaboration conducted by
OUSD(l&S) and other DoD elements at the direction of Deputy Secretary Hicks, to address the challenges associated with
assessing UAP occurring on or near DOD training ranges and installations highlighted in the DNI prelim inary assessment
report submitted to Congress in June 2021. The report also identified the need to make improvements in processes,
policies, technologies, and training to improve our ability to understand UAP.
In coming weeks, the Department will issue implementing guidance, which will contain further details on the AOIMSG
Director, organizational structure, authorities, and resourcing.
The Deputy Secretary's memo on the establishment of the AOIMSG is attached. You can see her initial direction to
OUSD(l&S) to begin the planning effort for formalizing the UAPTF's mission
here: https://media.defense.gov/2021/Jun/25/2002749916/-1/-1/1/DEPUTY-SECRETARY-OF-DEFENSE-M EMORANDUM-
ON-UNIDENTIFIED-AERIAL-PHENOMENA-ASSESSM ENTS.PDF
Please direct any questions on this to ""'Kb....;.)....;.(6.....;)______________.
Regards,
Defense Press Operations
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