Under-Reported UAP in U.S. Skies: Pilots Call for Transparency and Safety

To the point

Graves, citing Ryan Fob, testified that unidentified aerial phenomena are real and vastly under-reported in our airspace, with routine sightings by trained aircrews and commercial pilots who rely on accurate identification, yet stigma, fear of retaliation, and government classification since 2021 hide crucial information; he recalled a 2014 NAS Oceana incident where after radar upgrades an unknown object described as a dark gray cube inside a clear sphere came within 50 feet of the lead F-18, prompting a mission abort and no official reporting, and noted such encounters became frequent enough that U.S. aircrews discussed UAP in preflight briefs, leading him to found Americans for Safe Aerospace, now a hub for witnesses with more than 30 testifiers and about 5,000 members, mostly commercial pilots and veterans; reported sightings include around 40,000 feet with unexplainable maneuvers like right-hand turns, retrograde orbits, and J-turns observed by multiple witnesses and sensor systems across regions including north of the Y and the North Atlantic, raising questions of national security if foreign drones are involved or scientific concerns otherwise, and a call for transparency and access to sensor and video data to inform public dialogue, while acknowledging skepticism and arguing that parts of the government know more than they disclose; the overarching message is accountability and openness about what is happening in the skies.

Ryan Graves Opening Statement at Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Hearing

Ryan Fob's Graves testified that unidentified aerial phenomena are present in our airspace and vastly under-reported, with routine sightings by trained aircrew and commercial pilots whose lives depend on accurate identification. Stigma and fear of professional repercussions discourage witnesses, and recent government statements questioning eyewitness credibility, along with ongoing excessive classification since 2021, obscure crucial information and fuel mistrust. He recounted a 2014 incident as an F-18 Foxtrot pilot with VFA-11 Red Rippers at NAS Oceana, where after radar upgrades unknown objects were detected and a sighting described as a dark gray or black cube inside a clear sphere came within 50 feet of the lead aircraft, prompting a mission abort and no official acknowledgment or reporting mechanism. He notes such encounters became frequent enough that U.S. aircrews discussed UAP in preflight briefs, prompting him to found Americans for Safe Aerospace, now a hub for witnesses; more than 30 witnesses have come forward and about 5,000 Americans have joined, most of them commercial pilots and veterans with decades of experience. Reported sightings include altitudes around 40,000 feet, possibly in near-Earth orbit or the gray zone, with unexplainable maneuvers like right-hand turns, retrograde orbits, and J-turns observed by multiple witnesses and sensor systems across regions including north of the Y and the North Atlantic. He argues the issue is a national security concern if foreign drones, or a scientific concern otherwise, but in either case unidentified objects threaten flight safety, and the public deserves transparency and access to sensor and video data to inform national dialogue. While acknowledging skepticism, he contends that parts of the government know more than they disclose and broad classification has hindered understanding, urging action to remove stigma and address safety and security concerns. The overarching message is a call for accountability and openness about what is happening in the skies.

Source: youtube.com