The U.S. Department of Defense has released its first batch of files related to “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena” (UAP), stating that more materials will be disclosed in phases in the future and emphasizing that the public can draw its own conclusions from the information.
The first release contains 162 documents, including previously undisclosed State Department cables, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) records, and transcript records from NASA crewed space missions.
In a statement posted on social media, the Pentagon said the files had completed security reviews, but many of the contents had not yet undergone full analysis and no final explanation had been reached regarding the anomalous phenomena. The statement also said the Trump administration is committed to increasing transparency and allowing the public greater access to related information.
Among the released materials is an FBI interview record from 2023 involving a drone pilot. The pilot stated that he observed a “linear object” in the sky emitting an intense light, with visible layered structures inside the beam. According to the document, the object remained visible for around five to ten seconds before suddenly disappearing.
Another document drawing significant attention involves photographs taken during NASA’s Apollo 17 moon mission in 1972. The images show three light sources arranged in a triangular formation. Pentagon annotations state that there is still no consensus regarding the nature of the phenomenon, though preliminary analysis suggests it may have involved a “physical object.” In addition, the Defense Department also released an edited Apollo 12 lunar photograph in which multiple areas were marked as “anomalous aerial phenomena.”
However, several experts urged caution in interpreting the materials, noting that some imagery could involve advanced military technology, lens reflections, or observational errors. An official Pentagon report released in 2024 had also denied that the U.S. government possesses extraterrestrial technology or has confirmed the existence of alien life.