The Bell X-5 was the first aircraft capable of changing the sweep of its wings in flight, a pioneering technology that significantly influenced the design and functionality of future combat and commercial aircraft. Developed by Bell Aircraft Corporation, the X-5 was directly inspired by the untested, World War II German prototype, the Messerschmitt P.1101. Unlike the P.1101, whose wing sweep could only be altered on the ground, the X-5’s wings could be adjusted in flight, allowing for optimal aerodynamic efficiency across multiple flight regimes. Introduced in the early 1950s, the Bell X-5 was instrumental in exploring the aerodynamic implications of…
Author: John Greenewald
This FOIA release reveals details about the FBI’s Public Access Line (PAL) policies and procedures. These documents offer a procedural insight into how the FBI manages its PAL, encompassing complaint intake and assessment documentation. Document Archive FBI Public Access Line (PAL) Manuals (Released June 2020) [741 Pages, 123MB]
DARPA program exhibits modular, first-of-kind capabilities The following article is archived from a press release by DARPA. It is archived here for research purposes. The Manta Ray prototype uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) built by performer Northrop Grumman completed full-scale, in-water testing off the coast of Southern California in February and March 2024. Testing demonstrated at-sea hydrodynamic performance, including submerged operations using all the vehicle’s modes of propulsion and steering: buoyancy, propellers, and control surfaces. “Our successful, full-scale Manta Ray testing validates the vehicle’s readiness to advance toward real-world operations after being rapidly assembled in the field from modular subsections,” said Dr. Kyle Woerner,…
For more than a decade, the NSA released information from the Intellipedia system. Hundreds of entries were archived by The Black Vault after submitting numerous FOIA requests for more than a decade. In 2023, that all ended, as the NSA changed their policy and began issuing GLOMAR responses on all Intellipedia-related request (ie: they would neither confirm nor deny any records existed). After more than 130 appeals were filed fighting cases denied that were open for years, but were all suddenly closed; all appeals were denied. Now, in May 2024, the NSA refuses to tell the public why they made…
Today, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) of the U.S. Department of Defense provided their report into the “Eglin UAP” incident. The investigation revolved around an event that took place on January 26, 2023, involving a military pilot during a routine exercise in the airspace near Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The broader public became aware of the “Eglin UAP” incident largely through Congressman Matt Gaetz, who discussed the case during a Congressional hearing. He highlighted a particular photograph taken by Air Force pilots, describing the UFO as an “orb” that demonstrated capabilities beyond human technology. Gaetz’s comments brought significant…