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This declassified U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command Intelligence Information Report, dated 27 April 2022, describes events of 8 September 2021 over the Gulf of Oman. During live fire training, a U.S. Special Operations Forces AC-130 gunship crew saw about 25 instances of UAPs on its infrared sensor. They appeared as cold orbs moving between 250 and 1300 MPH, some in formation. A pair appeared to fly off when the 105mm cannon fired, and the aircraft's video recorder failed.
From the source: Release of 2026-08-07 Released with redactions. This document is an Intelligence Information Report (IIR), the primary standardized format utilized by the Department of War, military services, and the broader Intelligence Community to disseminate unevaluated intelligence information derived from human sources (HUMINT), open sources, and field collection activities. IIRs are not finished intelligence products; they serve as inputs for subsequent all-source intelligence assessments. This report accompanies the footage contained within DOW-UAP-PR117 through DOW-UAP-PR122. This report documents an observation by the aircrew of a U.S. Special Operations Forces (USSOF) AC-130 Gunship on September 8, 2021, during a nighttime live-fire training exercise over the Gulf of Oman. The aircrew reported first observing two unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) after dropping a water-activated flare. The report describes the UAP as stationary, approximately four feet in diameter, 0-20 feet above the water’s surface. Throughout the training sortie, the aircrew reported observing approximately 25 instances involving similar phenomena via infrared sensor, describing them as “cold orbs.” Aircrew visual estimates of the UAP’s apparent speed range from 250 to 1,300 miles per hour. The report characterizes the UAP’s behavior as “maneuvering aggressively,” “flying in various formations,” and appearing to react to deployments of the aircraft’s onboard weapons systems. The aircrew stated that they were unable to capture video footage of the phenomena because the aircraft’s digital video recorder was not functioning during the incident. All descriptive and estimative language contained in this report reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time of the event. Such characterizations should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics.
6/1/22, 11:.23 AM Recotd Previ.ew DINTELLIGENCE. REPORT CLASSIFIED SECRET/INOFOR TEXT. (U) INITIAL OBSERVAllON. On 8 Septe ber 2021 a United States Special Operations orces (USSOF) AC-130 Gunship was conducting live fire training the Gulf a( Oman in Uie vicinity of (IVO) //MGRS. ◄0REN6 I during period of darkness. The AC-130 first observed Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAPs) when the ·rcraft dropped a waler-activated flare to use as a mock target. TheAC-130 entered an orbit around the flare and the Comba Systems Officer (CSO) conducted collateral scans wrth the aircraft's EJectro Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) $e0$or IVO Ule flare, When the CSO $lewed th sen o r in IR mode back to the flare they observed two approximately four-foot diameter cold orbs between O to 20 feet above the suliace of the water stationary over the flare for approximately 15 seconds. After those 15 seconds passed, the CSO pul ed the trigger fir ng the aircraft's 105mm cannon. Immediately upon puUin9 the trigger, d uring the slight delay between trigger pull and the cannon's reool, Ute CSO observed the pair or UAP rapidly rty away from the flare and ou of the sensor feed without changing altitude. • uaSEQUENT OBSERVATIONS. The AC-130 crew observed approx 11nate1y 25 Instances of UAPs vie.....ed ,n IR as cold orl)s in both white,.,i:,,-hot an black-1$-<hot mode during e wrtie, Two UAP$ were observed fly,ing in a loose but coordinat d forma ion increasing and decreasing altitude !like a wave whJe maneuvering aroirnd , over. and under each other in a manner similar to how dolphins playfully sv.im in a pod. (SOURCE COMMENT: They [The UAPsJ knew they were flying togelher), UAPs were also separately observed llylng In a formation of three and separately obser,,ed flying erratically ancl maneuvering aggressively, The attached videos depid: a smoothly slewing EO/IR sensor or a stationary EO/IR sensor with ukiple UAPs darting around the $8nsor feed. TheAC-130's crew attempted to save entirety ofU,e EO/IR fOotage of the UAP ot:iservauons b t the aircraft's Digital Video Recorder (DVR) ine,xpficably failed and thl!I vldi,o data became corrupted. - ESTIMATED SPEED. The CSO calculated the UAP's approximate SPfldS using the aircraft's TACTOOL and clocked their maximum observed maneuvering speed at 1300 miles per hour (MPH) and e UAPs m nmum observed maneuvering speed at 250 MPH. No means of propulsion were, observed. COMMENTS: 1. (Field Conment) (S/IN!ll 1.4c !i the tao line for A~SOC 7 rsonnel conducting[ 1.~ jdebriefing. 2. (U Th is UR was coordinated with USDAO Muscat and SOCCEN J2X without comment. 3. (U) Source A is available ror recontact about information in thi report. 4. (U... Geograph ic coordinates were derived komAC-130 sensor feed GPS data. S. (U/.... Requests concerning foreign d sclosure and release of tne i'oriiiation contained In this re rt should be sent to the .AFSOC FOO a . ncludo the justification, serial number, subject lme of the report and the proposed reques1 In the initial correspondence. 6. (U/-- IIR Evaluations and Source Directed Requirements regard~ report are hig Iv encouraged to assis in assessing collection efforts and requirements. Evaluations and Sou~ Directed USCENTCOM MDR 26-0049 to MOR 26-0061 ApPf~:~'/Jt'Mmra~1J'W~led using - 031'26126 000005 ------------------------..:....:..----,13.5c, (b)(6) . sn
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Report, from the pursue collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 7 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.