Pentagon Files Detail Sizes of Unidentified Aerial Objects Encountered by Navy Pilots

Compiled by the editorial desk with reference to official statements, public filings, and industry data.

The Pentagon has released new hazard reports that shed light on the size, shape, and color of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) encountered by U.S. Navy pilots in 2013 and 2014. The reports, which describe objects as small as a suitcase and as large as a small aircraft, add fresh details to the ongoing public discussion about military encounters with unknown flying objects.

According to one report, a 2014 incident involved a silver object roughly the size of a suitcase. The Navy aircraft came within 1,000 feet of the object but could not positively identify it. Another report from 2013 described a white object with a 5-foot wingspan and no other distinguishing features. That object was classified as an unidentified aerial system due to its small size.

The reports also note that the objects could have been drones, but no nearby operators were identified. This detail has fueled continued speculation about the nature of these encounters, though the Pentagon has not offered any official explanation beyond classifying them as unidentified.

The release of these hazard reports follows the Pentagon's formal release last month of three unclassified videos that had been circulating publicly since a 2017 investigation by The New York Times. The videos showed unusual objects moving over the ocean and ascending rapidly without visible propulsion. In a statement, the Department of Defense said the release was intended to clear up public misconceptions about whether the footage was real and whether there was more to it. Sue Gough, a Defense Department spokeswoman, told CBS News that the aerial phenomena in the videos remain characterized as unidentified.

New Reporting Guidelines for Navy Personnel

Just over a year ago, the U.S. Navy announced it was developing new guidelines for personnel to report sightings and encounters with unidentified aircraft, as reported by Politico. This move was seen as a step toward standardizing how such incidents are documented and investigated, though no further details about the guidelines have been made public.

The newly released hazard reports and the formal release of the videos mark a shift in the military's approach to discussing UAP encounters, which were long treated as classified or dismissed. The Pentagon's acknowledgment that the videos are authentic and that the objects remain unidentified has kept the topic in the public eye, prompting further questions about the nature of these phenomena.

While the reports provide specific measurements and colors, they do not offer conclusions about the origin or purpose of the objects. The Pentagon has consistently refrained from speculating, sticking to the classification of these encounters as unidentified.

For the public, the release of these documents offers a rare glimpse into the military's process of recording and evaluating such incidents. The hazard reports, which are part of a broader set of records, are now available for review, though the Pentagon has not indicated whether additional reports will be released.