AAWSAP Program Established
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) established the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP) in 2008, awarding a $22 million contract to Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS). The program investigated anomalous aerial phenomena and related effects, including research at Skinwalker Ranch in Utah. AAWSAP produced 38 Defense Intelligence Reference Documents (DIRDs) covering advanced aerospace topics ranging from warp drives to metamaterials. When funding was discontinued, the smaller AATIP effort within the Pentagon continued aspects of the work. The program's existence remained classified until Freedom of Information Act requests in 2019 revealed its documentation.
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Background
The Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP) was established on September 22, 2008, when the DIA awarded contract HHM402-08-C-0072 to BAASS (Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies). This $22 million program, initiated by DIA scientist Dr. James Lacatski and funded via a Congressional earmark secured by Senators Harry Reid, Ted Stevens, and Daniel Inouye, ran until December 20, 2010 after about two years plus a three-month no-cost extension.
Establishment The DIA awarded the contract to BAASS on September 22, 2008. Dr. James Lacatski initiated the $22 million program. Funding came through a Congressional earmark secured by Senators Harry Reid, Ted Stevens, and Daniel Inouye.
Key Activities AAWSAP/BAASS deployed investigators to Skinwalker Ranch and other UAP hotspots. They built the CAPELLA Data Warehouse with over 200,000 UAP reports across 11 databases. The program produced 38 Defense Intelligence Reference Documents (DIRDs) on advanced aerospace technologies and submitted a 228-page Threat Assessment concluding that UAP pose a threat to human health.
Organization and Staff The program employed over 75 staff organized in 7 departments. Departments covered: - Field investigations - Data analysis - Advanced technology - Consciousness research - Medical studies
Conclusion AAWSAP ended on December 20, 2010 after roughly two years plus a three-month no-cost extension.
Elizondo's Account
Elizondo reveals in Imminent that AAWSAP had two key congressional co-sponsors beyond Senator Harry Reid: Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), a WWII veteran who had personally witnessed foo fighters over the Himalayas, and Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI). DIA Director Lieutenant General Michael Maples authorized the program. Elizondo describes being recruited into the program in early 2009 by Jay Stratton and James Lacatski during a team dinner in Rosslyn, Virginia, where he first met Robert Bigelow and Hal Puthoff. The program ultimately produced 38 Defense Intelligence Reference Documents (DIRDs) covering advanced physics and aerospace topics.