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A recently declassified U.S. Department of War mission report from October 2023 details an incident in which a U.S. military operator observed an Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon (UAP) over the Persian Gulf. According to Department of War records released under the PURSUE archive, the document, titled “DOW-UAP-D23, Mission Report, United Arab Emirates, October 2023,” was declassified on September 12, 2025, and released to the public on May 8, 2026.
Document Details and Operational Context
The report is a standardized Mission Report (MISREP) form used by the U.S. Military to record operational circumstances, including UAP sightings. The Department of War’s official description of the document states that U.S. military services often use MISREPs to report UAP to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). The document’s narrative section, though partially redacted, provides a timeline of events on October 31, 2023. The operator took off from Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates at 0015Z and later, at 0241Z, first observed “IX UAP.” A second observation of “IX UAP” was recorded at 0322Z.
The mission was part of “OP SPARTAN SHIELD,” an operation overseen by the 609th Air Operations Center under U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM). The report identifies the originating unit as the 50th Attack Squadron (50ATKS), part of the 432nd Wing. The Department of War’s release notes that the mission involved collecting signals intelligence (SIGINT) and imagery intelligence (IMINT) during a sortie in a “SRO TRACK IRISH SICKLE.” The operator’s aircraft landed back at Al Dhafra at 2058Z. The document also notes that “FMV WAS EXPLOITED BY DGS-2,” indicating that full-motion video from the mission was analyzed by a Distributed Ground Station.
The Department of War’s official description of the document cautions that all descriptive and estimative language in the report reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time of the event. It states that such characterizations “should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics.” The report’s narrative is heavily redacted, with personal identifying information of the operator and other personnel removed under exemptions cited as “3.5c, (b)(6)” and “130b, (b)(6).” The document’s classification source is listed as “MULTIPLE SOURCES,” with a declassification date of October 25, 2048.
Agency and Reporting Context
The report was filed with the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). Per a Wikipedia summary of the office, AARO is an office within the United States Office of the Secretary of Defense that investigates unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and other phenomena in the air, sea, and/or space and/or on land, sometimes referred to as “unidentified aerial phenomena” or “unidentified anomalous phenomena.” Wikipedia’s entry on the office notes that its first director was physicist Sean Kirkpatrick, who reported to then deputy defense secretary Kathleen Hicks, and its current director is Jon T. Kosloski. The release of this document under the PURSUE archive is part of a broader effort by the Department of War to provide transparency regarding UAP incidents reported by military personnel.
The report’s official summary offers limited detail beyond the bare facts of the observation and the mission context. The nature of the UAP—its appearance, behavior, or any potential threat assessment—is not described in the unredacted portions of the document. The report does confirm that the operator observed the phenomenon on two separate occasions within a 41-minute window during a single mission. The document’s metadata indicates it was approved for release to AARO on September 12, 2025, by Major General Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff.
What remains unanswered from this document is the specific characteristics of the UAP observed, including its shape, speed, or any flight patterns. The heavily redacted narrative prevents a full understanding of the operator’s account. Readers should watch for future PURSUE releases, which may include additional mission reports or analytical summaries that could provide further context on this incident or similar observations in the Persian Gulf region. The Department of War’s ongoing declassification of such records suggests that more operational UAP reports will become available for public review.
