CIA-UAP-017, Placement on High Alert Due to Perceived Aggressive Foreign Posturing
Official description
A never before released July 2008 report on a UFO sighting at the Harare International Airport. Individuals debated if the sighting was an advanced reconnaissance device of a foreign government or of extraterrestrial origins.
✦ AI summary
CIA-UAP-017 is a declassified SECRET//NOFORN CIA Information Report dated 3 July 2008 (retrieved from the CIA's internal "Trident" document system, printed 6/15/2009), Country: Zimbabwe, Subject: "Placement on High Alert Due to Perceived Aggressive Foreign Posturing," Date of Information: early July 2008. It was widely disseminated to the White House Situation Room, DNI, State/INR, NGA, DIA, Joint Staff, ONI, CNO, FBI, US Secret Service, NCTC, FAA, DHS, TSA, and numerous military commands (EUCOM, JAC Molesworth, NATO SHAPE, JFCOM, SOCOM, STRATCOM, TRANSCOM, etc.), reflecting how seriously the incident was treated. The report describes a source reporting from Zimbabwe regarding an unidentified object hovering at high altitude directly over Harare International Airport on the afternoon of 2 July 2008, observed possibly by both radar and optical means. At one point "beams" were observed emanating from the object. Observers described it as disc-like in shape with a hollow center and a series of rotating lights on its underside. Individuals aware of the incident debated whether the object was an advanced reconnaissance device belonging to a foreign government or an unidentified flying object of extraterrestrial origin. After a period under ground observation, the rotating lights shifted colors and the object rapidly ascended to higher altitude and out of visual range. Regardless of its origin, the incident (redacted detail) resulted in the decision to place Zimbabwe on high alert.
Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.
▸Transcript(3 of 3 pages legible)
[PAGE 1] Trident https://www.trident.cia/DisplayDocument.do?documentView=original. Approved for Release 2026 Under Section 1842 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. SECRET//NOFORN. 03171 0Z CIA WASHINGTON DC 455482. TO: WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM WASHINGTON DC, DNI WASHINGTON DC, SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC//INR/DSITA//, NGA NAVY YARD WASHINGTON DC, DIA WASHINGTON DC, JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC, DA AMHS WASHINGTON DC, DA WASHINGTON DC, ONI WASHINGTON DC, CNO WASHINGTON DC, DTRA NAVCRIMINVSERV WASHINGTON DC//ATAC/0022//, CMC WASHINGTON DC, CSAF WASHINGTON DC, AFIAAAMHS BOLLING AFB DC, JWAC DAHLGREN VA//J2//, DIRNSA FT GEORGE G MEADE MD, ANCHORY FT GEORGE G MEADE MD, DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC, FBI WASHINGTON DC, US SECRET SERVICE WASHINGTON DC//ID//, NCTC WASHINGTON DC, FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC, DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC//S-60//, HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC, TSA HQ WASHINGTON DC, DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC, CDR USEUCOM INTEL VAIHINGEN GE//J-2//, JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK//OOA//, US SURVEY DIV SHAPE BE, CDRUSAREUR DCSINT HEIDELBERG GE//AEAGB-IAD//, USAIS RAMSTEIN AB GE//INO//, COMSIXTHFLT, SRI OIC NAPLES IT, CTF 67, CTF 69, COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE, HQ USJFCOM NORFOLK VA, COMUSFLTFORCOM NORFOLK VA, COMMARFORCOM, ACC IN LANGLEY AFB VA, CJTF 6 FT BLISS TX//FCJT-J2//, COMSECONDFLT, USSTRATCOM INTEL DIRECTORATE OFFUTT AFB NE, CDR US TRANSCOM INTEL CELL SCOTT AFB IL, USSOCOM INTEL MACDILL AFB FL, COMJSOC FT BRAGG NC//J2//, HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE. PASS: DIA FOR TERRORISM. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE. WARNING: SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED. ANY TRANSMISSION OR REVELATION OF THIS INFORMATION IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED. VIOLATORS MAY BE SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL PROSECUTION, INCLUDING UNDER THE ESPIONAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES. REPORT CLASS: SECRET//NOFORN. DIST: 3 JULY 2008. COUNTRY: ZIMBABWE. TOPIC: DEPS/FMCC [?]. SUBJ: PLACEMENT [redacted] ON HIGH ALERT DUE TO PERCEIVED AGGRESSIVE FOREIGN POSTURING. DOI: EARLY JULY 2008. SUMMARY: NONE. TEXT: 1. [redacted] 2. As of early July 2008, [source redacted] was reporting from Zimbabwe regarding an unidentified object hovering at high altitude over the Harare International Airport [continues page 2]. [PAGE 2] Trident https://www.trident.cia/DisplayDocument.do?documentView=original. SECRET//NOFORN. [Source redacted] was reporting from Zimbabwe regarding an unidentified object hovering at high altitude over the Harare International Airport. This object was observed, possibly by both radar and optical means, in the skies above Harare during the afternoon of 2 July 2008. Reporting describes an unidentified object directly over the Harare airport. At one point during observation, "beams" were observed emanating from the object. 3. Individuals [redacted] who were aware of the incident had [debated] whether the object was an advanced reconnaissance device belonging to a foreign government, or whether the object was an unidentified flying object of extraterrestrial origins. According to observers, the object was disc-like in shape with a hollow center, and had a series of rotating lights on the underside of the airframe. After a period under observation from the ground, the rotating lights under the object [continues page 3]. [PAGE 3] [continued from page 2] ...shifted colors and the object quickly ascended to higher altitudes and out of visual range. Regardless of the origins, this incident [redacted] resulted in the decision to place Zimbabwe on high alert. SECRET//NOFORN. END OF MESSAGE. SECRET//NOFORN.
Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.
Source: U.S. Department of War / AARO — public domain · war.gov/ufo