What is a UAP?
UAP stands for “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena,” and was earlier said to stand for “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena.” Because the term “UFO” (unidentified flying object) carries a strong image of alien spacecraft, the U.S. government and military began using UAP to treat unidentified objects and phenomena in the sky neutrally.
U.S. government releases and reports
In 2020, the U.S. Department of Defense officially released three videos of unidentified flying objects filmed by Navy pilots. In 2021, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence published a report stating that most of the 144 reports from the military and others remained unexplained. In 2022, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), dedicated to investigating UAP, was established within the Department of Defense.
What are UAP really?
Investigations by AARO and others say that many cases can be explained as balloons, drones, birds, satellites or sensor malfunctions. On the other hand, some cases remain unidentifiable because of insufficient information, and investigations continue from the standpoint of aviation safety and national security. See also Open Contact and the Kenneth Arnold sighting.
