UAP Timeline
A chronological journey through the most significant UAP events, from the dawn of the modern UFO era to the ongoing push for government disclosure.
June 24, 1947
Kenneth Arnold Sighting
Private pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine unusual objects flying in formation near Mount Rainier, Washington. His description of their movement led to the term "flying saucers," launching the modern UFO era.
July 8, 1947
Roswell Incident
The Roswell Army Air Field issued a press release stating they had recovered a "flying disc." The military quickly retracted the statement, claiming it was a weather balloon. The incident remains one of the most debated events in UFO history.
January 7, 1948
Mantell Incident
Captain Thomas Mantell of the Kentucky Air National Guard crashed while pursuing an unidentified object reported by multiple witnesses. He became one of the first pilots believed to have died chasing a UFO.
March 1952
Project Blue Book Established
The U.S. Air Force established Project Blue Book to study UFOs. Over its 17-year run, it investigated 12,618 reported sightings, with 701 remaining "unidentified."
July 19-26, 1952
Washington, D.C. UFO Incident
Multiple unidentified objects appeared on radar at Washington National Airport and Andrews Air Force Base on consecutive weekends. Fighter jets were scrambled. The incidents prompted the largest Pentagon press conference since World War II.
September 19, 1961
Betty and Barney Hill Abduction
Betty and Barney Hill reported being abducted by extraterrestrial beings while driving through rural New Hampshire. Their case became the first widely publicized alien abduction claim and was later depicted in the book "The Interrupted Journey."
April 1966
Westall UFO Encounter
Over 200 students and teachers at Westall High School in Melbourne, Australia witnessed an unexplained flying object descend into a nearby open field, then ascend and fly away. One of the largest mass UFO sightings in history.
December 17, 1969
Project Blue Book Terminated
The U.S. Air Force terminated Project Blue Book based on the Condon Committee report, concluding that UFO studies were not scientifically productive. Critics argued the investigation was predetermined to dismiss evidence.
November 1975
Travis Walton Abduction
Logger Travis Walton disappeared for five days near Snowflake, Arizona, after his crew reported seeing him struck by a beam of light from a hovering disc. His account, corroborated by six witnesses who passed polygraphs, became one of the best-documented abduction cases.
December 26-28, 1980
Rendlesham Forest Incident
U.S. Air Force personnel stationed at RAF Woodbridge in England reported seeing unexplained lights and a triangular craft in Rendlesham Forest over multiple nights. Deputy base commander Lt. Col. Charles Halt documented the events in an official memo.
November 29, 1989
Belgian UFO Wave Begins
A wave of triangular UFO sightings began over Belgium, lasting until April 1990. The Belgian Air Force scrambled F-16 fighters to intercept the objects. Radar operators confirmed objects performing maneuvers beyond known aircraft capabilities.
March 13, 1997
Phoenix Lights
Thousands of witnesses across Arizona reported seeing a massive V-shaped craft silently gliding overhead, followed by a series of stationary lights. Governor Fife Symington initially mocked the event but later admitted he also witnessed the unexplained craft.
November 14, 2004
USS Nimitz "Tic Tac" Encounter
Navy Commander David Fravor and Lt. Commander Alex Dietrich encountered a "Tic Tac" shaped object during a training exercise off the coast of San Diego. The object demonstrated extraordinary capabilities including instantaneous acceleration and transmedium travel. Radar operators on the USS Princeton had been tracking anomalous objects for weeks.
December 16, 2017
AATIP Revelation
The New York Times published a landmark article revealing the existence of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), a secret Pentagon program that studied UAPs from 2007 to 2012. The article included declassified Navy videos of UAP encounters, fundamentally shifting the public discourse.
April 27, 2020
Pentagon Officially Releases UAP Videos
The Department of Defense officially released three Navy videos (FLIR1, Gimbal, GoFast) showing unidentified aerial phenomena. The Pentagon confirmed the videos were authentic and that the objects depicted remained unidentified.
June 25, 2021
ODNI Preliminary Assessment Released
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a preliminary assessment on UAPs to Congress. Of 144 reports examined, only one was identified. The report acknowledged UAP as a flight safety and national security concern.
July 20, 2022
AARO Established
The Department of Defense established the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to investigate UAP incidents across all domains — air, sea, space, and transmedium. Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick was appointed as the first director.
June 5, 2023
David Grusch Whistleblower Testimony
Former intelligence officer David Grusch publicly alleged the U.S. government possesses intact non-human craft and biological materials. His claims, filed through official whistleblower channels, led to historic Congressional hearings on UAP.
July 26, 2023
Historic Congressional UAP Hearing
The House Oversight Committee held a landmark public hearing featuring testimony from David Grusch, Commander David Fravor, and Ryan Graves. Witnesses testified under oath about crash retrieval programs, non-human intelligence, and government cover-ups.
November 13, 2024
Senate UAP Disclosure Amendment
Bipartisan legislation continued to push for UAP transparency, with proposed amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act requiring disclosure of government UAP programs and records within set timelines.
The Story Continues
As government disclosure accelerates and new evidence emerges, this timeline will be updated with the latest developments. The truth is being revealed, one event at a time.
Have a correction or a significant event we should add? Let us know.