DoD renews UFO identification effort
Drones of all types are tested at Yuma Proving Ground, but Public Affairs Officer Mark Schauer reports many UAP sightings are wrongly attributed to the base's activites. (Photo: US Army)
Deputy Secretary of Defense, Kathleen Hicks, announced plans to establish the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG) as the successor to the USN’s Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) Task Force.
The AOIMSG will synchronise efforts across the department and the broader US government to detect, identify and attribute objects of interest in special use airspace.
It will also assess and mitigate any associated threats to the safety of flight and national security.
To provide oversight of the AOIMSG, an Airborne Object Identification and Management Executive Council, to be comprised of DoD and Intelligence Community membership, will offer a venue for interagency representation.
Incursions by any unidentified airborne object into special use airspace poses safety of flight concerns, operations security concerns and national security challenges.
This decision is the result of planning efforts to address the challenges associated with assessing UAP occurring on or near DoD training ranges and installations.
This announcement is particularly topical in 2021, as the DNI released a preliminary assessment report on unidentified aerial phenomena in June
The report also identified the need to make improvements in processes, policies, technologies and training to improve our ability to understand UAP.
More from Defence Notes
-
Venezuela prepares personnel and equipment for a potential second US attack
Defence Minister Gen Vladimir Padrino López has declared that the Venezuelan armed forces “will continue to employ all its available capabilities for military defence”.
-
As the new year starts, the UK defence spending delay continues
The UK’s defence spending commitments remain uncertain as the government’s Defence Investment Plan, which had been due by the end of 2025, is yet to be published.
-
How might European countries look to tackle drone incursions?
Disruption of infrastructure in Europe, whether by cyberattack, physical damage to pipelines or uncrewed aerial vehicles flying over major airports, as has happened more recently, is on the rise. What is the most effective way of countering the aerial aspect of this not-so-open warfare?
-
Taiwan approved for $11 billion weapon purchase from US
The US State Department’s approval of a multi-billion-dollar sale of weapons to Taiwan includes tactical mission networks equipment, uncrewed aerial systems, artillery rocket systems and self-propelled howitzers as well as anti-tank guided missiles.
-
Ireland spells out $2.3 billion shopping list in five-year defence spending plan
Ireland’s multi-annual investment in capital defence spending is set to rise from €300m in 2026 to €360m in 2029–2030 with major upgrades across land, air, maritime and cyber domains.