Iran/Strait of Hormuz UAP observations, 16 September 2020

A USCENTCOM Mission Report records that a single aircraft took off from OKAS at 2302Z on 15 September 2020 and returned at 1958Z on 16 September, for a total mission time of 20 hours 56 minutes. The aircraft flew an AREC mission in support of NAVCENT. According to the report, it was tasked to characterize IRIN and IRGCN vessels, UAS activity and activity outside ports, and to establish a pattern of life.

The report logs several events during the ISR period. Iranian Air Defense hailed the aircraft on guard frequency at 0408Z and 0421Z and again at 1141Z. Each entry states that the aircraft gave the standard response with no impact to the mission. The report also lists two EMI events, from 1248Z to 1259Z and from 1414Z to 1441Z. In both, the aircraft lost link and then regained it, and the report rates the mission impact as medium.

At 1732Z the crew observed a UAP near grid 39RVM51 70, by FMV, at FL180 and 90 KIAS. The entry gives no heading, range, bearing, shape, size or movement. The Gentext summary calls it noteworthy activity. The report states that weather was not a factor. It states no conclusion and offers no explanation for the observation.

A separate video record, titled as a 16 September 2020 observation of a UAP by a crew in CENTCOM, was released on 2026-05-22. Its catalogue entry says AARO reviewed it after a March 2026 congressional request. AARO noted that the materials lack a substantiated chain of custody and gave no analytical conclusion. The entry describes the object only as an area of contrast and says the first 77 seconds of the video contain no content.