near San Diego between two Navy F/A-18F fighter jets and an unknown object. Photo: US Department of Defence" />near San Diego between two Navy F/A-18F fighter jets and an unknown object. Photo: US Department of Defence" />
The US Navy is drafting new guidelines for pilots and other personnel to report encounters with “unidentified aircraft”, a significant new step in creating a formal process to collect and analyse the unexplained sightings – and destigmatise them.
AdvertisementThe previously unreported move is in response to a series of sightings of unknown, highly advanced aircraft intruding on US Navy strike groups and other sensitive military formations and facilities, the service says.
“There have been a number of reports of unauthorised and/or unidentified aircraft entering various military-controlled ranges and designated air space in recent years,” the US Navy said in a statement in response to questions from POLITICO.
“For safety and security concerns, the US Navy and the [US Air Force] takes these reports very seriously and investigates each and every report.
