US: NORTHCOM confirms classified Fastwalker/Slowwalker regulations
NORTHCOM responded to a records request by stating that all NORAD documentation regarding Fastwalkers and Slowwalkers remains classified. The letter confirms military usage of these terms for high-velocity atmospheric objects.
Background
The United States Northern Command issued an official correspondence on December 6, 2013, in response to a Freedom of Information Act inquiry. The request sought regulations, procedures, and manuals referencing specific terminology used by aerospace defense personnel. Instead of releasing the requested materials, the command stated that all relevant documentation from the North American Aerospace Defense Command was classified and therefore exempt from disclosure. This response marked rare official acknowledgment of the terms "Fastwalker" and "Slowwalker" within military documentation. These designations reportedly describe unidentified aerial phenomena observed entering or exiting the atmosphere at various velocities, sometimes detected by satellite systems.