The Pentagon announced Friday that it is launching a task force to study unidentified flying objects following reports of observations by service members.
The Pentagon said in a statement that Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist approved the establishment of a Task Force (UAPTF) of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPTF), which will fall under the Navy.
“The Department of Defense set up the UAPTF to improve its understanding and gain insight into the nature and origins of UAPs,” the Pentagon said. “The mission of the task force is to detect, analyze, and catalog UAPs that could potentially pose a threat to U.S. national security.”
“The Department of Defense and the military departments take all incidents by unauthorized aircraft in our training ranges or designated airspace very seriously and investigate any report. This includes investigations of incidents that are initially reported as UAP if the observer cannot directly identify what he or she is observing. “
The agency first confirmed that it was working on a program that worked to identify UFOs in 2017.
The formation of the task force follows the release of videos from the Department of Defense (DOD) of meetings between U.S. pilots and UFOs in April, noting that explanations for the flying objects or aircraft remain unclear.
Bipartisan lawmakers have long advocated for the establishment of a body to study UFOs, with former Sen. Harry Reid
Harry Mason ReidPentagon Forms Task Force to Investigate Military UFO Observations Kamala Harris Makes History – As a Westerner McConnell Goes Hand-Off on Coronavirus Release Bill MORE (D-Nev.) Emerging as a chief proponent.
“The US needs to take this seriously, scientifically, on this and all possible implications of national security. The American people deserve to be informed, ‘he tweeted in April after the UFO footage was released.
I’m glad the Pentagon is finally releasing this footage, but it only scratches the surface of research and materials available. The US needs to look at this seriously and scientifically on this and all potential implications of national security. The American people deserve to be informed. https://t.co/1XNduvmP0u
– Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) April 27, 2020
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