In a recent Senate testimony, Jon T. Kosloski, Director of the Pentagon’s All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), clarified the office’s stance on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and their ongoing investigations. Speaking to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities on November 19, Kosloski emphasised that AARO has yet to uncover verifiable evidence supporting extraterrestrial life, technology, or activity despite numerous unexplained sightings reported by military personnel. He stressed that his office investigates each sighting scientifically and transparently, addressing all domains – including sea, sky, and space.
UAP Cases: Mostly Explained, Some Remain Unresolved
AARO was established in 2022 to centralise UAP reports, allowing streamlined assessment of anomalous sightings by government and military entities. While most cases have been attributed to known objects like birds, drones, and balloons, Kosloski mentioned that a minority of incidents remain unexplained, as per a Space.com report.
In his testimony, he reportedly reviewed examples, such as a 2013 UAP sighting in Puerto Rico that appeared to vanish into the ocean. AARO’s investigation concluded it was an optical illusion caused by the camera’s inability to differentiate the object’s temperature from its surroundings.
Public Pressure for Transparency
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand queried whether AARO’s methods might deter individuals from reporting UAP incidents due to perceptions of governmental secrecy. Kosloski countered by asserting that AARO is uniquely empowered to access historical and current UAP data, with a mandate for transparency in reporting to Congress. In the session, it was noted that some classified data restrictions still apply, particularly regarding sensitive sensor technology, limiting the office’s public disclosures.
AARO’s 2024 report outlined 485 UAP cases, of which 118 have been solved, and 174 are under final review. While the office has encountered challenges in securing complete sensor data for some incidents, Kosloski assured that no evidence points to UAP activity linked to foreign adversaries.