← Declassified UAP case filesDOW-UAP-D058DECLASSIFIED · R01Contains redactions

UFO Range Fouler form, Middle East, Oct 2020

Official file: DOW-UAP-D058, Range Fouler Debrief, NA, October 2020

Published · Updated

Incident date
10/27/20
Incident location
N/A
File type
Document
▤ DOC—100%▸ View official PDF
LOADING…

Key facts

Official file ID
DOW-UAP-D58 (cited as DOW-UAP-D058 in this file)
Document type
Document
Released in
R01 · 2026-05-08
Incident date
10/27/20
Incident location
N/A
Pages legible
1/1
VIRIN
260508-D-D0360-1042

Official description

A U.S. military operator reported an encounter with a group of two UAP. The operator described the UAP as “balloon-shaped,” metallic, and reflective, characterizing them as “2x red blinking strobes.” The report states that “one range fouler was circling around the other.” 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.

About this type of document

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.

See the glossary →

✦ AI summary

A Range Fouler Debrief Form (O-3 aircrew member, 77 EFS), declassified on 20 March 2026 by MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff, and approved for release to AARO (USCENTCOM MDR 26-0038 to MDR 26-0046), documenting an encounter detected on 10/27/20 at 01:12:21Z, at night, during a DCA mission at a contact altitude of 26,000 ft (location fields blank). Checkboxes record 2 contacts in the group, a stable trackfile, tally achieved, and a contact moving 060/20. The shape boxes checked are balloon-shaped and "other shape," with metallic, opaque, and reflective; EA indications are marked "other/ambiguous." The narrative says KINGPIN directed identification of an unknown contact; the crew obtained radar lock and target pod video but could not get closer than 16.9 NM for a better ID. The target pod showed 2 IR significant contacts, with one Range Fouler circling the other, and in 1/30th of a second they were gone. The tally was 2x red blinking strobes, and noise jamming, indicated by two chevrons, was received. First detection was at B/E ZIM 248/17. Names, the radar-equipment entry detail, and some coordinates are redacted or blank.

Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.

▸Transcript(1 of 1 pages legible)
⌕

[PAGE 1] [Classification banner, struck through: SECRET//NOFORN] [Red stamp, overlapping header: Declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison / USCENTCOM Chief of Staff / Declassified on: 20 March 2026 / Please do not use the purple "submit" button above. Save and email the complete file manually (see below).] Range Fouler Debrief Form. 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. Last Name, First Name [blank]; Rank: O-3; Squadron: 77 EFS; SIPR Email Address [blank]; Crew Position [blank]. 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): 10/27/20. Time of detection (hh:mm:ss Z): 01:12:21. Day/Night: Night. Side No. [blank]. Buno [blank]. Mission Description (CAS, BFM, etc): DCA. LFE?: No. Contact Working Area [blank]. Contact Latitude [blank]. N/S [blank]. Contact Longitude [blank]. E/W [blank]. Contact Altitude (Ex: 22000): 26000. Altitude Constant?: No. Wind Dir at Contact Alt (From) [blank]. Wind Speed [blank]. Radar Equipped: Other. AIM-9x Self-Track: [unchecked]. Stable Trackfile?: Yes. ATFLIR Autotrack: [unchecked]. # of Contacts in "Group": 2. Tally Achieved: [checked]. Was the contact moving?: Yes. Direction/Speed (Ex. 090/15): 060/20. Please check all that apply: Round: [unchecked]. Square: [unchecked]. Balloon-shaped: [checked]. Wings/Airframe: [unchecked]. Other Shape: [checked]. Moving Parts: [unchecked]. Metallic: [checked]. Markings: [unchecked]. Translucent: [unchecked]. Opaque: [checked]. Apparent Propulsion: [unchecked]. Reflective: [checked]. EA Indications (Check all that apply): ECM/Arc: [unchecked]. Letter/Identifier: [unchecked]. False/Trackfiles: [unchecked]. Other/Ambiguous: [checked]. Please use the field below to describe the contact and any interaction in your own words with as much detail as possible. Please be sure to include any detail not included in questions above. KINGPIN DIRECTED ID OF UNKNOWN CONTACT. [redacted box, marked "1.4a"] OBTAINED RADAR LOCK AND TARGET POD VIDEO BUT UNABLE TO GET CLOSER THAN 16.9NM TO GET A BETTER ID. THE TARGET POD SHOWED 2 IR SIGNIFICANT CONTACTS. ONE RANGE FOULER WAS CIRCLING AROUND THE OTHER. IN 1/30TH OF A SECOND, THEY WERE GONE. TALLY ACHIEVED WAS 2X RED BLINKING STROBES AND NOISE JAMMING WAS RECEIVED. NOISE JAMMING WAS INDICATED BY TWO CHEVRONS. FIRST DETECTION OF THE RANGE FOULERS WERE AT B/E ZIM 248/17 [redacted box, marked "1.4a"]. Don't use the purple "submit" button! Save this form with filename "Date_Squadron_RF.pdf" and email it to [redacted (b)(6)] (Also in the global). For troubleshooting, call [redacted (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 [redacted (b)(6)]. [Classification banner, struck through: SECRET//NOFORN] USCENTCOM MDR 26-0038 to MDR 26-0046. Approved for Release to AARO. 03/27/26 000001.

Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.

Source: U.S. Department of War / AARO — public domain · war.gov/ufo

Entities in this document

USCENTCOMRichard A. Harrisonballoon-shaped

Connected cases

Related cases

Same document series

Same period

Same release

Same agency