ICA-UAP-D001, Analysis: Colorado Springs UAP Incident, 2022
Official description
This document contains analysis by an All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) Intelligence Community (IC) partner to account for a 2022 incident involving an airborne object near Colorado Springs, Colorado. U.S. military service members reported the incident to AARO in 2023. AARO’s IC partner assessed, with low confidence, that the reported phenomenon, which observers characterized as resembling an “angular, non-symmetrical potato,” was attributable to sunlight backscattering, where sunlight reflecting from mountain snow cover illuminated the underside of low-altitude clouds. This low-confidence assessment contributes to AARO’s consideration of the incident, which remains unresolved as of June 2026.
✦ AI summary
ICA-UAP-D001 is a 4-page Intelligence Community Analysis assessing the same February 2022 Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs sighting documented in the FBI's Colorado Springs case file (FBI-UAP-D001/D002/D003). Titled "USA/Colorado: An Airborne Object Over Cheyenne Mountain in February 2022 was Possible Backscattering of Sunlight," the analysis concludes with low confidence that the object observed by five U.S. Army service members at Fort Carson, Colorado at 0935 MST on 15 February 2022 was an optical phenomenon -- likely sunlight backscattering off snow-covered terrain and/or reflecting off atmospheric clouds -- rather than a physical craft, and states that no anomalous data or characteristics were recorded, and the event did not represent an unknown adversarial capability. The witnesses described the object as slightly translucent with a shimmering white appearance, defined edges, and a milky shimmer reflecting sunlight; it suddenly disappeared while they watched under a clear sky. The analysis reconstructs the solar geometry at the time (sun at ~27.5 degrees altitude, azimuth ~125 in the southeast), estimates snow depth on Cheyenne Mountain at 6-12 inches based on historical NWCC data, and notes that despite witness reports of clear blue skies, weather data from AFWA and Weather Underground indicated the presence of altostratus clouds -- mid-level clouds (6,500-23,000 ft) that can appear opaque yet permit sunlight through, creating a luminous effect, and can catch light reflected upward off snow cover, especially when the sun is low. The analysis suggests a shift in cloud position or sun angle could explain the object's sudden disappearance, again with low confidence given uncertainty in each witness's field of view and exact cloud cover. It explicitly notes no aircraft or balloons were active in or around Cheyenne Mountain at the time, ruling out those mundane explanations.
Generated with AI from the official file — may contain errors.
▸Transcript(4 of 4 pages legible)
[PAGE 1] SUBJECT: USA/Colorado: An Airborne Object Over Cheyenne Mountain in February 2022 was Possible Backscattering of Sunlight page 1 of 4 [PAGE 2] page 2 of 4 [PAGE 3] An airborne object over Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado was observed by five U.S. Army service members at Fort Carson, Colorado at 0935 MST on 15 February 2022, was possibly backscattering of sunlight. [Analyst/agency] has low confidence in this assessment based on uncertainty in the field of view of each witness, amount of snow cover, and exact elevation and amount of cloud cover. No anomalous data or characteristics were recorded or assessed, and the event did not represent an unknown adversarial capability. According to the accounts of five U.S. Army service members, on 15 February 2022, an [object was observed with a certain] shape. It had a slightly translucent, shimmering white appearance, with defined edges and a milky shimmer that reflected sunlight. The witnesses noted that the sky was clear, and despite keeping their eyes on the object, it suddenly disappeared. At 0945 MST on February 15, 2022, in Colorado Springs, the sun was positioned at an altitude of about 27.5 degrees over the horizon in the southeast sky and roughly at an azimuth of 125 degrees, casting shadows toward the northwest and providing soft, angled light. According to historical National Water and Climate Center reporting, snow depth on Cheyenne Mountain likely ranged from 6 to 12 inches. Although witnesses reported clear, blue skies, multiple weather reports, including those from AFWA and Weather Underground, indicated the presence of clouds [i.e., altostratus clouds despite the reported clear sky]. It is possible that either the clouds or the sun shifted slightly, causing the reflection to vanish. [Analyst/agency] has low confidence in this assessment based on uncertainty in the field of view of each witness, and exact level of cloud cover. Analyst Note: Altostratus clouds are a kind of mid-level cloud known for their consistent gray or blue-gray appearance. These clouds usually develop at altitudes ranging from 6,500 to 23,000 page 3 of 4 [PAGE 4] feet (about 2,000 to 7,000 meters) and can create a dense, uniform layer across the sky or thin and wispy. While they often appear opaque, altostratus clouds can permit some sunlight to pass through, resulting in a luminous effect. Typically, the presence of altostratus clouds suggests that precipitation is imminent, [and light] reflects off the snow-covered ground and reflects upwards, scattering through the atmosphere and illuminate low-level clouds. This is especially noticeable when the sun is low over the horizon. No aircraft or balloons were noted active in or around Cheyenne Mountain during the time the witnesses saw the airborne object. page 4 of 4
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
Connected cases
FBI-UAP-D001, FD-302, Unresolved UAP Report, Colorado Springs, 2022
FBI-UAP-D003, Digital Rendering, Unresolved UAP Report, Colorado Springs, 2022
