The world of aerial acronyms just got a new one: UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena).
According to the US authorities UFOs (as they were once known) are the sort of things that pill-popping hippies might have spotted. Certainly, no 'normal' person would ever have spied a UFO. Until, possibly, recently. But it's now a UAP if you want to be taken seriously. Seriously!
The US Department of Defense has recently created a new organisation to investigate what it calls “unidentified aerial phenomena” (UAPs) to monitor reported sightings of what most of us call UFOs. The move is likely to trigger interest in alien hunters worldwide (shouting 'I told you!') looking for signs that humanity is not alone in the cosmos, although the dry language of the Pentagon’s announcement belied its intent as watchers of the sky for potential first contact.
The Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) was created by David Norquist, the deputy defense secretary, strengthening an already existing effort that since 2018 has been under the purview of the Office of Naval Intelligence. This, of course, is nothing to do with The Donald's facial colouring, although, given time, it may be.
“The Department of Defense established the UAPTF to improve its understanding of, and gain insight into, the nature and origins of UAPs. The mission of the task force is to detect, analyze and catalog UAPs that could potentially pose a threat to US national security,” the Pentagon said in a statement.
The Senate recently required the director of national intelligence and secretary of defense, working with other intelligence and law enforcement agencies, to prepare a public report of government findings on the UAP issue. So, theoretically, the agencies will not be able to sweep future sightings under the proverbial carpet (or in to a secret military hangar).
The US also released three declassified videos showing US navy pilots encountering what seem to be unidentified flying objects. Sorry, UAPs. The Pentagon said it released the footage to clear up any misconceptions by the public on whether the footage that has been widely circulated was genuine or if there is more to the video than meets the eye. OGN Daily wanted to publish these videos but was served with a Section D notice by the UK authorities, apparently on behalf of some sort of 'deep state' clandestine American outfit based at a classified location called Area 57.