FOIA Release: July 2019 UAS swarm photo and USS Russell logs
The Black Vault published FOIA-obtained records including USS Russell deck logs from July 2019 and a photograph related to the UAS swarm encounters. The documents were released after an appeal process following initial requests filed in April 2021.
Background
On January 27, 2022, investigative platform The Black Vault released documentation obtained through the Freedom of Information Act concerning the 2019 Navy UAS swarm incidents. The publication included 381 pages of deck logs from USS Russell covering the entire month of July 2019, providing timestamps and operational details of the encounters. Additionally, the release contained a low-quality photograph showing an unidentified aerial object, initially without specific context but later confirmed by Navy officials on February 1, 2022, to have originated from USS Paul Hamilton. The records were obtained through persistent FOIA advocacy including formal appeals after initial requests filed in April 2021 produced incomplete responses.