Department of Defense

The Department of Defense (DoD) is a U.S. federal government agency established in 1947 that oversees military operations and national defense. In the context of UAP research, the DoD plays a central role through its All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), which leads the government's scientific investigation of unidentified anomalous phenomena. The DoD collects UAP reports from military aviators, pilots, and personnel, maintains defense HUMINT databases of UFO observations, and coordinates with other agencies to detect, analyze, and understand UAP incidents. Recent DoD efforts include developing data processing systems, updating collection strategies, and conducting historical reviews of UAP cases dating to 1945, finding most incidents involve balloons, drones, or aircraft rather than extraterrestrial technology.