The U.S. government has released another large batch of documents related to “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena” (UAP), the official term now used instead of UFOs. The newly declassified materials include photographs, videos, and reports describing incidents that military and intelligence agencies were unable to explain.

According to The Conversation, despite the volume of newly released data, most of the major questions remain unanswered. At the same time, some of the incidents appear increasingly difficult to dismiss.

The simpler explanations

Some of the reported cases have relatively ordinary explanations.

Bright flashes observed by astronauts on the Moon are likely camera artifacts or the result of high-energy cosmic rays striking imaging equipment. Outside Earth’s magnetic field, such particles are encountered far more frequently.

Videos showing fast-moving bright objects can often be explained by insects flying close to a camera lens. Because of the short distance, they appear out of focus and can resemble high-speed aerial anomalies.

The incidents that are harder to explain

Not all cases fit so neatly into conventional explanations.

In 2020, the U.S. Navy officially declassified three videos recorded by F/A-18 fighter jets showing the now-famous “Tic Tac” objects. These objects appeared to move without visible propulsion systems while rapidly changing speed and direction. Military officials stated that they did not know what the objects were. The incidents were reportedly recorded simultaneously by several advanced sensor systems.

In 2025, an even more intriguing recording was presented during hearings in the U.S. Congress. According to the materials shown, an MQ-9 Reaper drone fired a Hellfire missile at a UAP. The object briefly altered its trajectory after the impact but showed no visible damage and continued flying. This suggested that the target was a physical object rather than an optical illusion.

Drones and military bases

Reports of “drone swarms” near American and European military facilities have increased sharply in recent years. In several cases, U.S. Navy destroyers encountered large groups of unidentified aerial objects. However, no nearby carrier vessels were detected, making the standard explanation of ordinary drones seem incomplete.

In 2023, the United States shot down a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon along with several other unidentified objects over North America. Information regarding some of those incidents remains classified.

What could these objects be?

Experts generally agree that there is no single explanation covering every case.

  • Some incidents are likely ordinary drones, either domestic or foreign.
  • Others may be sensor errors or visual artifacts.
  • Some could involve tests of new technologies developed by the United States or other countries.

However, a number of cases — including the “Tic Tac” encounters — appear to exceed the known capabilities of modern technology. The lack of visible heat signatures, abrupt acceleration changes, and absence of sonic booms still do not have convincing explanations.

The idea of extraterrestrial intelligence remains the most popular theory among the public, but from a scientific standpoint it is considered the least likely. Most specialists believe the ultimate explanation will probably turn out to be terrestrial in origin.

In brief

The latest U.S. government declassification of UAP documents has once again failed to provide definitive answers. Some incidents can be explained by optical effects, insects, or equipment errors. But a number of cases — including the “Tic Tac” encounters, a drone strike against an apparently undamaged object, and mysterious swarms near military bases — continue to raise serious concerns. Governments are clearly monitoring the situation closely, but for now the official position remains that the phenomena cannot yet be identified. Something unusual is clearly happening in the skies — the question is what exactly it is.