DOW-UAP-D038, Range Fouler Debrief, Middle East, May 2020
Official description
This document is a Range Fouler Debrief, a standardized reporting form the U.S. Navy uses to record the circumstances surrounding an unauthorized intrusion into controlled airspace during active military operations or training. These reports contain a narrative description of the observer’s experiences. A U.S. military operator reported observing a “solid white object [fly] through the [field-of-view]. The reporter described the UAP as making erratic [movements] above the water. All descriptive and estimative language contained in this report reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time of the event. Such characterizations should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics.
✦ AI summary
Declassified single-page 'Range Fouler Debrief Form' (a standardized SPEAR/Navy-style UAP reporting questionnaire), submitted for an encounter on 14 May 2020 at 2040Z (night) in the Middle East (working area code 28314, coordinates approximately N latitude / E 20000 longitude, contact altitude around 22,000 ft). While performing an ISR tasking, the aircrew's sensor (ATFLIR) picked up a solid white, round object flying through the field of view; the crew briefly lost and then re-acquired it, following as it appeared to make erratic movements just above the water. The sensor operator obtained 4x zoom on the object before losing it again due to poor track placement, continuously adjusting the sensor to keep the object in view (evidenced by waves alternately visible/invisible in the background). The object was checked as 'Round' shape on the form, with no indications of moving parts, metallic surface, markings, or apparent propulsion recorded (fields left unchecked). Contact was assessed as a single (1) object, radar-equipped tracking was intermittent. Declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff, released under USCENTCOM MDR 26-0019, 01/26/26, approved for release to AARO.
Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.
▸Transcript(1 of 1 pages legible)
[PAGE 1] Declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff. [Header, partially illegible]: '...13-02 Range Fouler Debrief Form.' Instructions: '"submit" button above. Save and email the complete file manually (see below). Please complete this form to the best of your ability. If you do not have the requested information, please leave the field blank. If there was more than one "group" please report each on a separate form for data collection purposes. You should receive a response within 5 business days.' Form fields (contact-only, sanitized of identifying info per SPEAR policy): Last Name, First Name, Rank, Squadron, SIPR Email Address, Crew Position - 'This information is for contact only. SPEAR sanitizes all reports of identifying information. Absolutely no identifying information for aircrew or squadron will be recorded for analysis.' Date (mm/dd/yy): 05/14/20. Day/Night: Night. Time of detection (hh:mm:ss Z): 20:40:00. Contact Working Area (Ex: W-72 1A): 28314. Mission Description (GAS, BFM, etc): ISR. Side No./Buno: [blank]. Contact Latitude (DD:MM:SS): 28314 [appears to reuse working-area value; likely N, exact DMS not legible]. Contact Longitude: E 20000 [likely a partial/masked coordinate]. Contact Altitude: 22000 (Altitude DD:MM:SS field). EM: [blank]. Constant?: Yes. Wind Dir at Contact Alt (From): N/S [unclear]. LFE?: [blank]. Wind Speed: [blank]. 'Please attempt to determine a Lat/Long for the contact at initial detection. We recommend using JMPS to reference the sensor-derived bearing and range relative to the bullseye you had in use. If that method is not available, any reasonable derivation of location will work, but please be as specific as possible and make a note in the comments section. These locations may be used to cue other means of tracking.' Was the contact moving?: Yes. Radar Equipped: [blank]. Stable Trackfile?: [blank]. Intermittent Trackfiles: [checked]. # of Contacts in "Group": 1. EA Indications (Check all that apply): ECM [unchecked], False/Ambiguous [unchecked], Other/Letter Identifier [unchecked]. AIM-9X Self-Track: [unchecked]. ATFLIR Autotrack: [unchecked]. Tally Achieved: [checked, implied]. Direction/Speed (Ex. 090/15): [blank]. Shape (Please check all that apply): Round: [checked - marked with symbol]. Square: [unchecked]. Balloon-shaped: [unchecked]. Wings/Airframe: [unchecked]. Other Shape: [unchecked]. Apparent Propulsion: [unchecked]. Moving Parts: [unchecked]. Metallic: [unchecked]. Markings: [unchecked]. Translucent: [unchecked]. Opaque: [unchecked]. Reflective: [unchecked]. Narrative (free-text description): 'While performing an ISR tasking (ULTN/Black Hot/Lin), a solid white object flew through the FOV. There was a temporary loss of the object but re-acquired shortly thereafter. The crew was able to follow the object as it appeared to make erratic movements above the water. During the follow, crew was able to obtain 4x zoom on the object but lost the object due to poor track placement. While following, the sensor operator was continuously manipulating the sensor to maintain eyes on the object. This is apparent by the waves of the water in the background being visible and not being visible.' Footer instructions: 'Don't use the purple "submit" button! Save this form with filename "Date_Squadron_RF.pdf" and email it to [FOIA Exemption 3.5c, (b)(6)] (Also in the global). For troubleshooting, call [FOIA Exemption 3.5c, (b)(6)]. Thank you for your time. Please ensure all display tapes are ripped for the entire time of interaction and saved as a .wmv (Example: 4 May VFA-106 HUD.wmv). Squadron intel personnel shall upload those files to the repository located at this link. [FOIA Exemption 3.5c, (b)(6)]' USCENTCOM MDR 26-0019. Approved for Release to AARO. 01/26/26 001
Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.
Source: U.S. Department of War / AARO — public domain · war.gov/ufo
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