Heavily Redacted UAP Briefing Between UAP Task Force and NASA Released

A recent release of documents obtained through two Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests filed by The Black Vault in 2021 and 2022, has shed light on a briefing about Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (now referred to as Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena [UAP]) by the UAP Task Force (UAPTF) for NASA.

The UAPTF was a U.S. Department of Defense program established to investigate UAP reports, running from 2020 until its transition to the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG) in 2021.

The requests specifically asked for “all communications, emails or otherwise, between the UAP Task Force, and NASA,” after it was revealed in NASA FOIA Case 21-HQ-F-00507 that the UAPTF had requested NASA brief them on UAPs in September 2020. That case sought all communications between the task force and NASA. A second case was filed in 2022 to specifically request a “classified slide deck on Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP), created by Jay Stratton, that was shown to NASA and likely other agencies in October of 2020” also revealed by previously released documents.

These newly released records, sent by the U.S. Navy to The Black Vault, include a heavily redacted slide deck which provides a glimpse into that briefing.

Previously released documents confirm that International Space Station (ISS) Program Manager, Joel Montalbano; Director of the Export Control and Interagency Liaison Division, Margaret Kieffer; Former Associate Administrator for Legislative Affairs, Suzanne Gillen; and Former Acting Associate Administrator for the Office of International and Interagency Relations, Mike Gold; all attended the briefing.

While much of the material from that briefing remains classified, several important details can be discerned from the slides that were included in the release.

One of the main points of interest is the extensive redaction throughout the slide deck, particularly in sections that discuss photographic evidence of UAPs. Photographs were included, but nearly all of them remain classified, with the exception of one image.

Another notable section discusses the use of multiple sensors in detecting UAPs. According to the slide, the UAPTF employs a combination of technologies and reporting from operators to track and analyze UAPs. This multi-sensor approach is essential for corroborating sightings and gathering reliable data, which is then shared with other U.S. government partners for further analysis.

One of the slides also focuses on the November 14, 2004, “Tic Tac” incident involving the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG-11). The briefing describes the object as a “solid white, smooth” craft without any visible wings or pylons, measuring approximately 46 feet in length. Despite the event being validated by debriefs from aircrew and other personnel, the report notes that there was limited data available to conduct a thorough technical analysis at the time.

A slide titled “Potential Explanations” presents three possible explanations for UAPs, but two of these have been redacted. The only explanation visible suggests that some UAP sightings could be attributed to “unknown weather or other natural phenomena.” The redaction of the other two possibilities leaves their nature unclear.

As seen in the screenshots above, and the full document release below, the documents contain extensive redactions under two primary Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) exemptions: Exemption (b)(1) and Exemption (b)(5).

Exemption (b)(1) is used to protect classified information that pertains to national defense or foreign policy, as established by an executive order. In this case, much of the redacted content, including UAP photographs and certain technical data, likely falls under this exemption due to its potential impact on national security.

Exemption (b)(5) covers privileged interagency or intra-agency communications that are part of the government’s deliberative process. This exemption allows the withholding of documents that reflect internal discussions, recommendations, and draft policies that are not finalized. In the context of the UAP briefing, sections regarding potential explanations for UAP sightings and internal assessments have been redacted under (b)(5), likely because they involve pre-decisional analysis or sensitive deliberations between agencies.

This release, while heavily redacted, provides a rare glimpse into the collaboration between the UAP Task Force and NASA. It highlights the efforts that were made to investigate and analyze UAP sightings during the time of the task force. The redactions, particularly in areas relating to photographic evidence and potential explanations, reflect the sensitive nature of the information involved.

As more documents become available, The Black Vault will continue to publish and highlight those revelations.

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Document Archive

Heavily Redacted UAP Briefing Between UAP Task Force and NASA Released [16 Pages, 2.3MB]

 

 

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