The US is concealing a longstanding program that retrieves and reverse engineers unidentified flying objects, a former Air Force intelligence officer testified Wednesday to Congress. The Pentagon has denied his claims.
Retired Maj. David Grusch’s highly anticipated testimony before a House Oversight subcommittee was Congress’ latest foray into the world of UAPs — or “unidentified aerial phenomena,” which is the official term the US government uses instead of UFOs. While the study of mysterious aircraft or objects often evokes talk of aliens and “little green men,” Democrats and Republicans in recent years have pushed for more research as a national security matter due to concerns that sightings observed by pilots may be tied to US adversaries.
What Did Grusch Say at the Hearing?
Five memorable points from the hearing, as per an NBC News report.
Government Possession of UAPs: The hearing featured the compelling testimony of former U.S. intelligence official David Grusch, who asserted with certainty that the federal government is “absolutely” in possession of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs). To support his claim, Grusch cited interviews with 40 witnesses he conducted over a span of four years. As someone who led Defense Department efforts to analyze reported UAP sightings, he revealed being informed about a “multidecade” Pentagon program dedicated to the collection and reconstruction of crashed UAPs. The existence of such a covert program raises questions about the government’s knowledge and handling of unexplained aerial encounters.
‘Nonhuman Biologics’ at Crash Sites: In his testimony, Grusch added a new dimension to the discussion by mentioning that he has interviewed individuals who have personally recovered “nonhuman biologics” from crash sites of unidentified aerial objects. Striving to avoid the sensationalism often associated with the term “alien” or “extraterrestrial,” Grusch preferred to refer to these discoveries as “nonhuman” in nature. This revelation added intrigue to the ongoing investigations into the origin and nature of UAPs, as it suggests the possibility of encountering lifeforms beyond our known terrestrial realm.
Call for Transparency: The UFO hearing brought to the forefront the need for greater transparency regarding UAPs. Some lawmakers and witnesses emphasized the importance of establishing clear channels of communication to share UAP information with both the public and the military. The lack of a comprehensive reporting process for UAP sightings, especially for pilots, was a point of concern, as per the report. Witnesses, including former Navy pilot Ryan Graves, stressed the significance of providing a safe and transparent mechanism for pilots to report UAP encounters without fear of professional repercussions. Calls for more openness and transparency within the government resonated with lawmakers and the public alike.
Stigma Silencing Witnesses: During the hearing, witnesses and lawmakers delved into the challenges of reporting UFO sightings due to the stigma associated with the topic. Pilot witnesses, in particular, expressed concern over potential “professional repercussions” for reporting UAP encounters. This fear was compounded by recent government claims that questioned the credibility of eyewitness testimony. The discussion shed light on the cultural and institutional hurdles that may discourage witnesses from coming forward with their experiences.
Unexplained Technology: One of the most captivating testimonies came from former Navy commander David Fravor, who shared a riveting account of encountering a mysterious Tic-Tac-shaped object in 2004. According to Fravor, the unidentified aircraft displayed technology far superior to anything known to human capabilities. The object defied conventional explanation, as it exhibited no visible rotors, wings, or exhaust. The enigmatic nature of this encounter left Fravor and his fellow pilots in awe and perplexed about the object’s capabilities.
What are UAPs and What Has Grusch Been Claiming?
The term “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena” is now used to replace UFO or UAP. According to investigative journalist Leslie Kean, who authored the book “UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record,” a UAP can often be identified, as per a report by Discover Magazine. She states that about 90 to 95 percent of reported UAPs or UFOs have plausible explanations, such as weather balloons, flares, planes flying in formation, secret military aircraft, and various natural phenomena like birds reflecting the sun, meteors, or ice crystals.
David Grusch, a former intelligence official who oversaw the examination of unexplained anomalous phenomena (UAP) in a US Department of Defense agency, made headlines globally when he claimed that the US had been gathering unidentified non-human aircraft for an extended period, according to a report by the Guardian.
Grusch, a military veteran who previously served in the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and National Reconnaissance Office, came forward as a whistleblower and shared this information with various media outlets, discussing the unidentified crafts.
“These are retrieving non-human origin technical vehicles, call it a spacecraft if you will, non-human exotic origin vehicles that have either landed or crashed,” Grusch told NewsNation.
According to The Debrief,Grusch held the position of senior technical adviser for Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) analysis at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. During this time, he possessed Top Secret/Secret Compartmented Information clearance. Additionally, he served as a senior intelligence officer in the National Reconnaissance Office, accumulating a total of 14 years of experience in intelligence-related roles.
While working on the UAP task force, Grusch claims that he was denied access to a materials recovery program that involved tangible evidence of the crafts, as per a report by Independent.
“I thought it was totally nuts and I thought at first I was being deceived, it was a ruse,” Grusch told NewsNation. “People started to confide in me. Approach me. I have plenty of senior, former intelligence officers that came to me, many of which I knew almost my whole career, that confided in me that they were part of a program.”
According to Grusch’s statements to The Debrief, he claims to have prepared numerous briefings on UFOs for Congress. However, last year, he made the decision to disclose hours of classified information and data regarding the materials recovery program. Grusch asserts that the materials recovery program was intentionally shielded from proper congressional oversight, the Independent report said.
A declassified version of the document, shared with The Debrief, states that Mr. Grusch possesses firsthand knowledge that UAP-related information is being concealed or withheld from Congress with the intention of obstructing legitimate congressional oversight of the UAP program.
As per the complaint, in July 2021, Grusch confidentially provided classified information to the Department of Defense Inspector General concerning the withheld information. However, he believes that his identity was disclosed. Presently, Grusch is filing a whistleblower complaint, alleging that he has faced retaliation for disclosing confidential information.
Associated Press contributed to this report
