Washington (CNN) — US intelligence officials have found no inconsistent evidence that the Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) encountered by US Navy pilots in recent years were extraterrestrial craft.
But they haven’t even come to a definitive assessment of what those mysterious objects might be, according to five sources familiar with the findings of an upcoming UFO story to be submitted to Congress later this month.
However, according to three of those sources, the news does not rule out the possibility that they are alien craft.
White House awaits UFO news 1:31
While such uncertainty has likely dashed the hopes of UFO enthusiasts hoping for definitive proof of extraterrestrial life, it doesn’t diminish the importance of the story, especially given what sources describe as a struggle of several years in the Pentagon to even recognize it. , that there are now hundreds of unexplained sightings by US military personnel.
The New York Times was the first to release the details of the following story.
Video of possible UFOs over US ship 3:32
U.S. officials can’t even rule out the possibility that the craft were planes belonging to U.S. adversaries Russia and China, a potentially more worrying finding that raises a number of potential security concerns for Francoists, the official said. one of the sources.
However, the next story should conclude that the objects are not classified as US technology, the source added.
The UFO cover-up as seen by American pilots 3:34 Historical account of UFOs
For the first time, the US government is about to release an extraordinary unclassified story detailing what it knows about a series of mysterious encounters with unidentified flying objects, or more commonly known as UFOs.
Although news is quick to confirm the existence of extraterrestrial life, the very fact that the intelligence community is willing to record these incidents represents a momentous shift in how US officials think about the aberration.
For a long time, the US government has been reluctant to release information on numerous sightings of unidentified flying objects encountered by military pilots in confined ethereal space. Multiple sources told CNN that for years the defense section has tried to avoid giving too much capital to little, which remains a trivial priority.
But constant pressure from lawmakers has now forced the Pentagon and US intelligence agencies to register an uncomfortable truth: These encounters represent a potential security threat that simply cannot be explained.
“The feeling I have from the briefings I have attended is that no one knows what to do about it. There is no political formula and that is why there is so much reluctance to talk about it,” said Rep. Michael Waltz, a Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee, in a new interview with CNN.
“But it’s disturbing in any way, you know, is it extraterrestrial life or adversaries or anyone else with abilities far beyond what we can understand or track or counter? Whatever Either way, it’s really bad,” Waltz said.
Barack Obama considers the existence of UFOs 1:26 There is no evidence of little green men
The next story is unlikely to satisfy UFO experts who support what’s called “disclosure,” or the government’s release of definitive evidence that extraterrestrial life has made contact with you.
“Most people would expect visual evidence of little green men, which they certainly won’t,” a congressional aide told CNN, referring to expectations for the content of the story.
In fact, multiple sources told CNN they don’t expect the intelligence community to release much specific information, in part because intelligence officials don’t want to give them a clue whether these strange sightings are indeed next-gen technology being used by foreign opponents…which the United States has done.
On the other hand, technical intelligence experts still need more information about some of these encounters to keep for final assessment, said a bureau official involved in the ongoing investigative effort. But the same official even told CNN that many encounters have ordinary explanations, like a weather universe or a drone. In some cases, sightings have been removed from the US government dataset that tracks such encounters because officials have been unable to explain them.
However, multiple unexplained reports from pilots in recent years have caused tension within the Pentagon over how much time and capital it intends to commit to investigating these incidents, according to sources and verified documents. by CNN.
You will investigate UFO reports in the United States 1:02
They also fueled Capitol Hill’s desire for more information and several lawmakers’ deep belief that Congress should loosen its oversight powers to ensure the issue is properly addressed. Requiring the creation of the next UFO story is a way for lawmakers to signal that they intend to use that authority, the sources say.
“One of the functions of a course like this is that it enforces effective internal agency coordination and makes it clear that Congress does indeed take its oversight function seriously and that there will be a long-term reckoning later,” the adviser to Congress said. “Part of that is a result of getting agencies to take the issue more seriously and try to get rid of the stigma around it.”
CNN’s Barbara Starr contributed to this story.