U.S. Navy confirms authenticity of UAP videos but denies public clearance
The U.S. Navy officially acknowledged that three leaked videos depict genuine unidentified aerial phenomena. The service confirmed the footage was never authorized for public release despite claims by To The Stars Academy. The statements were obtained through inquiries by The Black Vault.
Background
In September 2019, the United States Navy provided official confirmation regarding the nature of three controversial videos recorded by military pilots. The footage, known as "FLIR1," "Gimbal," and "GoFast," had previously circulated through media outlets and the To The Stars Academy. Navy spokesperson Joseph Gradisher explicitly stated that the service designates the objects shown in these recordings as unidentified aerial phenomena, adopting terminology that differs from the traditional UFO classification.
The acknowledgment came with significant caveats regarding public dissemination. Naval officials emphasized that the Department of Defense never officially released these materials to the general population. This position directly contradicts assertions made by TTSA and its affiliate Luis Elizondo, who had previously suggested the government deliberately declassified the footage for public consumption.
Documentation obtained via Freedom of Information Act requests revealed internal communications between Elizondo and Pentagon review offices. These email exchanges indicated Elizondo had sought permission to utilize the videos strictly for internal government purposes, specifically to establish an unclassified database tracking unmanned aerial threats. The released correspondence suggests the footage was intended for defense community use rather than broad public distribution.