The Pentagon's Updated Statement: AATIP Studied UAPs

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The Pentagon's Updated Statement: AATIP Studied UAPs

By Roger Glassel 

Ever since the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) story broke in 2017 there have been contradictory statements coming from the Pentagon about the AATIP. First the Pentagon admitted that the program did study Unidentified Aerial phenomena (UAP), but that statement was later withdrawn and up till now the Pentagon’s position has been that AATIP did not study such things. This position has now changed.

In a recent statement given to me by the Pentagon they now confirm that AATIP did study Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, but it was not its primary purpose. The purpose of AATIP has earlier been outlined by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) who explained that:

 “The purpose of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) was to investigate foreign advanced aerospace weapons system applications with future technology projections over the next 40 years and to create a center of expertise on advanced aerospace technologies.”

The DIA also added that its goal “was to help understand the threat posed by unconventional or leap ahead aerospace vehicles/technologies that could have national security implications for the United States.”

Going back to February 2020 spokesperson Susan Gough announced that she was working on “an update to previous statements about AATIP.” Time went by and after the announcement of the creation of the UAP Task Force she again told me that she had an update coming out within a week, but that updated statement never came. I recently again asked for the update on AATIP, and this time she sent me the update. AATIP has been depicted as either being a UAP study or an advanced aerospace study. In the updated statement a new picture of AATIP is presented that shows it was both. Susan Gough explains that:

"In developing the reports and exploring how to create a ‘center of expertise,’ the contract allowed for research drawn from a wide variety of sources, including reports of UAPs. However, the examination of UAP observations was not the purpose of AATIP.”

This new depiction of AATIP still differs from how Mr. Luis Elizondo is describing the program. Pentagon has said that the “AATIP was the name of the overall program” and that all work was done under a single contract, and that the “contract was known as the Advanced Aerospace Weapons System Applications Program (AAWSAP).” Mr. Elizondo, in an interview with George Knapp, differs the two programs saying that “AATIP grew out AAWSAP”, and become its own thing “run primarily through government people,” thus not bound to the contract and handled more as an effort within the DOD - not that different from how the UAPTF is handled today. Mr. Elizondo states that AATIP “morphed into what we now know, as the UAP Task Force.” But according to the Pentagon “The UAPTF is not a continuation of AATIP.” The Pentagon explains that “Department of the Navy had been leading assessments of UAP incursions into DOD training ranges and designated airspace since approximately 2018,” and that, “Beginning in 2019, DOD undertook efforts to formalize the good work done by the Navy for DOD.” So according to them it was an informal effort started in 2018 that morphed into UAPTF. Susan has also stated that “Prior to then, each military department handled their own examinations of UAP incursions/sightings.”

So even though Pentagon says some element within AATIP did look into reports of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, there are still many sides of this story that is not clear. But maybe it is just two sides of the same story. Two different perspectives.

Following is the full updated statement from the Pentagon issued May, 21, 2021 , which in part also includes previous statements communicated by the DIA.

Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP)

The purpose of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) was to investigate foreign advanced aerospace weapon system applications, with future technology projections over the next 40 years, and to create a center of expertise for advanced aerospace technologies. The goal was to help understand the threat posed by unconventional or leap-ahead aerospace vehicles and technologies that could have national security implications for the United States.

The program commenced in Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 with $10 million appropriated in the Defense Supplemental Appropriation Act. DIA awarded a contract to a sole bidder, Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies, LLC.  The contract was known as the Advanced Aerospace Weapons System Applications Program (AAWSAP).

The contract goal was to study 12 technical areas: lift, propulsion, control, armament, signatures reduction, materials, configuration, power generation, temporal translation, human effects, human interface, and technology integration.  The contractor identified and worked with academics and scientists to produce technical reports.  In developing the reports and exploring how to create a “center of expertise,” the contract allowed for research drawn from a wide variety of sources, including reports of UAPs.  However, the examination of UAP observations was not the purpose of AATIP.

The first 26 reports were completed by late 2009. The Defense Appropriations Act for FY 2010 included an additional $12 million for the program, and 12 additional reports were produced. A total of 38 technical reports were delivered.  The list is below.  All of the reports are either classified or marked For Official Use Only.  Only a few have been released to the public.

After a review in late 2009, it was determined that the reports were of limited value to DIA.  The department terminated AATIP when funding for the program ended in 2012.

Reports produced under AATIP:

1.  Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion

2.  Advanced Nuclear Propulsion for Manned Deep Space Missions

3.  Pulsed High-Power Microwave Technology

4. Space Access

5.  Advanced Space Propulsion Based on Vacuum (Spacetime Metric) Engineering

6.  BioSensors and BioMEMS

7.  Invisibility Cloaking

8.  Traversable Wormholes, Stargates, and Negative Energy

9.  High-Frequency Gravitational Wave Communications

10.  Role of Superconducters in Gravity Research

11.  Antigravity for Aerospace Applications

12.  Field Effects on Biological Tissues

13.  Positron Aerospace Propulsion

14.  Concepts for Extracting Energy from the Quantum Vacuum

15.  An Introduction to the Statistical Drake Equation

16.  Maverick Inventor Versus Corporate Inventor

17.  Biomaterials

18.  Metamaterials for Aerospace Applications

19.  Warp Drive, Dark Energy, and the Manipulation of Extra Dimensions

20.  Technological Approaches to Controlling External Devices in the Absence of Limb-Operated Interfaces

21.  Materials for Advanced Aerospace Platforms

22.  Metallic Glasses

23.  Aerospace Applications of Programmable Matter

24.  Metallic Spintronics

25.  Space-Communication Implications of Quantum Entanglement and Nonlocality

26.  Aneutronic Fusion Propulsion I

27.  Cockpits in the Era of Breakthrough Flight

28.  Cognitive Limits on Simultaneous Control of Multiple Unmanned Spacecraft

29.  Detection and High Resolution Tracking of Vehicles at Hypersonic Velocities

30.  Aneutronic Fusion Propulsion II

31.  Laser Lightcraft Nanosatellites

32.  Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) Air Breathing Propulsion and Power for Aerospace Applications

33.  Quantum Computing and Utilizing Organic Molecules in Automation Technology

34.  Quantum Topography of Negative Energy States in the Vacuum

35.  Ultracapacitors as Energy and Power Storage Devices

36.  Negative Mass Propulsion

37.  State of the Art and Evolution of High Energy Laser Weapons  [SECRET//NOFORN version]

38.  State of the Art and Evolution of High Energy Laser Weapons

 

AATIP vs. UAP Task Force (UAPTF)

The UAPTF is not a continuation of AATIP.  Since the majority of reporting about UAP observations in recent years came from naval aviators, the Department of the Navy had been leading assessments of UAP incursions into DOD training ranges and designated airspace since approximately 2018.  Beginning in 2019, DOD undertook efforts to formalize the good work done by the Navy for DOD.  Former Deputy Secretary Norquist approved the establishment of the UAPTF on Aug. 4, 2020.

Understanding the US Government's UFO Programs

 

UFOs have been in the news lately. On December 28, 2020, legislation was signed that included the requirement for US defense agencies to submit a report to “the congressional intelligence and armed services committees on unidentified aerial phenomena." Government involvement is often what it takes for the UFO topic to be considered newsworthy. With the UAP report due in June, major media outlets have been trying to catch up on the topic and recent history. However, with the unfamiliarity with the topic, and the constraints of time and space, a lot is left out of the story.

The scientific study of UFOs is a worthwhile pursuit, but it’s unclear if that’s what the government is interested in. According to Senator Harry Reid and Luis Elizondo, AATIP began under national security concerns about unidentified aerial phenomena, but the Pentagon contract indicates it was a weapons program. Examining the work of the subcontractor suggests it was a way for Robert Bigelow to get funding to continue his research into paranormal and UFO topics. Roger Glassel has been pursuing the truth behind the news, and with his help we’ve tried to get to the bottom of things. Below is a recap with links to previous articles from Blue Blurry Lines on the Pentagon’s AAWSAP, AATIP, and the new UAP Task Force.

The Pentagon UAP Article Collection

The New York Times from Dec. 16, 2017 story and subsequent press identified the Pentagon’s UFO study as the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), but documents surfaced showing the original name Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP). Roger Glassel asked the Pentagon’s spokesperson and was told, “Same program. Just an alternative name for AATIP.”

Pentagon Confirmation: AATIP = Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program May 3, 2018

Since there was no clear history of what AATIP did or the size of the operation, it caused much speculation and controversy, particularly after the Pentagon spokesperson issued the statement, “Mr. Elizondo had no assigned responsibilities for AATIP…”

Documenting Luis Elizondo's Leadership of the Pentagon's UFO Program 
June 13, 2019

Roger Glassel uncovered a trove of information about the origins of AATIP, about the contract between the Pentagon and Robert Bigelow (BAASS), and secret subcontracts with the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) to produce technical papers and furnish them with case files and access to investigation sites. Documents were reproduced from the MUFON Advanced Technology Establishment (MATE) and the contracts between the group and Bigelow.

The Pentagon UFO Program’s Secret Partner March 17, 2020

In the second part of the article, participants of the secret MUFON contracts spoke about their involvement and the fact that most of them were unaware that Bigelow’s sponsor was secretly the US government.

Breaking the Silence: AATIP's Secret Partner Speaks March 23, 2020

Continuing the examination, we probed the $22 million government funding for Robert Bigelow’s company under the AAWSAP contract. We attempted to trace where the money was spent.

The Pentagon UFO Money Trail April 23, 2020

In Roger Glassel’s correspondence with the Pentagon it was disclosed that while AATIP was defunct, there was a new UFO investigation, “an interagency team charged with gathering data and conducting investigations into range incursions… the Navy is leading much of the effort.”

Pentagon Answers on Navy UAP Investigations May 18, 2020

Further correspondence revealed the name of the interagency UFO team was the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, or UAPTF.

UAP Task Force: The Pentagon Responds to Questions September 2, 2020

The Pentagon issued a long-awaited statement on AATIP, its origin, goals and function on May, 21, 2021. It consolidate previous statements into a single document and made several updates, admitting that reports of UAPs were included, "However, the examination of UAP observations was not the purpose of AATIP."

The Pentagon's Updated Statement: AATIP Studied UAPs  May 22, 2021

To understand the goals of the UAPTF, it's important to know the above history. The US government's goals may be very different from what its citizens want when it comes to UFO investigations and the sharing on information on the topic. The reporting of the story so far has not been transparent from either government officials or the media. We need more than agenda-driven press releases dressed up as news.

UAP Task Force: The Pentagon Responds to Questions

UAPTF: Pentagon Responds to Questions 

by Roger Glassel of UFO-Aktuellt

In a previous email sent to me back in May, 2020, the Pentagon stated that there was already a interagency team/task force under the cognizance of the OUSD(I) that was analyzing sighting reports, and as most of the reports were from Navy pilots, the Navy did much of the effort. In Pentagon's recent press release it is stated that the UAPTF, established on August 4, 2020, under the oversight of the OUSD(I) and lead by the Navy. This contributed to some confusion, and I contacted Susan Gough and Joseph Gradisher to comment on the contradiction. Here are their answers.

September 2, 2020

Re: Questions about UAPTF - Roger Glassel

Hi, Roger, sorry for the delay. Here are our responses to your questions, including your latest.

1) What is the difference between the newly established UAP Task Force and the previous running task force investigating Unidentified Aerial Phenomena?

Since the majority of recent reporting about UAP observations have come from naval aviators, since approximately 2018, the Department of the Navy has been leading assessments of UAP incursion into DOD training ranges and designated airspace.  Over the last year, DOD undertook efforts to formalize the good work done by the Navy for DOD.  This effort was an informal task force that I referenced to you earlier.  Deputy Secretary Norquist approved the formal establishment of the UAPTF on Aug. 4, 2020.

2) Why did the OSD/OUSD decide to establish a new UAP Task Force superseding the previous task force investigating Unidentified Aerial Phenomena?

The task force was established to meet congressional guidance, including the report directed by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.  Over the last year, DOD undertook efforts to formalize the good work done by the Navy for DOD in leading assessments of UAP incursions into DOD training ranges and designated airspace.  Deputy Secretary Norquist approved the establishment of the UAPTF on Aug. 4, 2020.

3) As the OUSD(I) was also the cognizant authority for the previous UAP interagency task force, was this the task force that former OUSD(I) employee Mr. Luis Elizondo was providing coordination and professional connections/liaison for?

No.  Luis Elizondo departed DOD in 2017. 

4) What was the name of the previous Task Force investigating Unidentified Aerial Phenomena?

There was no previous formal task force.

5) Will the newly established UAP Task Force look into other aspects of the nature and origins of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, or will the UAPTF just look at the aspect of UAP being a potential threat to U.S. national security? 

The Department of Defense established the UAPTF to improve its understanding of, and gain insight into, the nature and origins of UAP incursions into our training ranges and designated airspace.  The mission of the task force is to detect, analyze and catalog UAP incursions that could potentially pose a threat to U.S. national security. 

6) Will the public be informed about any findings from the UAPTF of the nature and/or origins of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena?

Thorough examinations of any incursion into our training ranges or designated airspace often involves assessments from across the department, and, as appropriate, consultation with other U.S. government departments and agencies. To maintain operations security and to avoid disclosing information that may be useful to our adversaries, DOD does not discuss publicly the details of either the observations or the examination of reported incursions into our training ranges or designated airspace, including those incursions initially designated as UAP.

7) If an observer initially characterize an observation as unidentified aerial phenomena, that he or she cannot immediately identify, and the observation cannot later be explained after an analysis by the UAPTF, or any other component, what will such observation be categorized as?

Unidentified

Regards,

Sue Gough

Department of Defense Spokesperson