DOW-UAP-PR085, "16 Sept 2020 [CALLSIGN] [CALLSIGN] observes UAP

Department of WarVideoVideo ReportLight redactionPURSUE Release 2

4/10

niche or mildly interesting

UAP Insight significance score

Location: CENTCOM
Incident date: 2020
Duration: Approximately 3 minutes 12 seconds of active sensor tracking (01:18 to 04:44)
Witnesses: Sensor only
Released: May 22, 2026

UAP Characteristics

? Unknown shape

Evidence Types

IR Video

Government Programs Referenced

AAROPURSUE

Official Conclusion

No analytical judgment, investigative conclusion, or factual determination provided by AARO.

Official Description

On March 6, 2026, eight members of the U.S. House of Representatives requested access to 51 potentially UAP-related records allegedly held by the Department of War and the Intelligence Community. The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) identified a collection of responsive materials held on a classified network. Many of these materials lack a substantiated chain-of-custody. AARO assesses that this video, whose uploader-defined title is, “16 Sept 2020 [CALLSIGN] [CALLSIGN] observes UAP,” is likely derived from a full-motion video camera aboard a U.S. military platform operating within the United States Central Command area of responsibility in 2020. A user uploaded this video to a classified network in September 2020. Video Duration: 00:04:44 Video Description: 00:00-01:17: No Content. 01:18-02:24: An area of contrast enters the bottom of the screen and moves up the screen as the sensor pans and zooms to hold it in the center of the frame. 02:25-04:29: The sensor zooms in, with the area of contrast remaining generally within the center of the frame. 04:30-04:44: The area of contrast leaves the field-of-view in the lower left-hand quarter of the screen. This video description is provided for informational purposes only. Readers should not interpret any part of this description as reflecting an analytical judgment, investigative conclusion, or factual determination regarding the described event’s validity, nature, or significance.

Key Findings

→Eight members of the U.S. House of Representatives requested access to 51 potentially UAP-related records from the Department of War and Intelligence Community on March 6, 2026.
→AARO identified the video as likely derived from a full-motion video camera aboard a U.S. military platform operating in the CENTCOM area of responsibility in 2020.
→The video was uploaded to a classified network by an unidentified user in September 2020, and many materials in this collection lack a substantiated chain-of-custody.
→The video shows an area of contrast being tracked by a sensor that pans and zooms to maintain it in the center of the frame for approximately three minutes.
→AARO explicitly declined to offer any analytical judgment, investigative conclusion, or factual determination regarding the event's validity, nature, or significance.

UAP Insight Analysis— AI generated, not official

A 4-minute 44-second video uploaded to a classified network in September 2020, purportedly showing a UAP observed on 16 September 2020 by a military aircrew (callsigns redacted) within the CENTCOM area of responsibility. The video was identified by AARO as part of a collection of materials responsive to a March 2026 congressional request for UAP-related records held by the Department of War. AARO notes the materials lack a substantiated chain-of-custody and provides no analytical judgment on the event's nature or significance.

Analyst Notes

Chain-of-custody for this video is explicitly noted as unsubstantiated by AARO, undermining its evidential integrity. Both aircrew callsigns are redacted, preventing independent witness verification. AARO issued no analytical conclusion and explicitly disclaimed any investigative judgment. The object is described only as an 'area of contrast,' which is a minimal characterization offering no shape, size, or behavioral data. The first 1 minute 17 seconds of the video contain no content, and the total tracking duration is limited.

Extracted Entities

Agencies & Organizations

Department of WarAll-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO)U.S. House of RepresentativesIntelligence Community

Locations

United States Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility

Aircraft & Objects

Unidentified area of contrast tracked by a full-motion video sensor aboard a U.S. military platform

Dates

September 16, 2020 (incident date)September 2020 (video upload date)March 6, 2026 (congressional request date)

Official video via DVIDS · Open on DVIDS ↗

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AI analysis by claude-sonnet-4-6 · May 22, 2026