A U.S. Navy pilot spotted a triangular object while flying near Puerto Rico. He described it as about the size of a fighter jet.
The pilot estimated that the object was traveling at three times the speed of sound. Radar aboard a warship in the area tracked an object at the same time and calculated an even higher speed. Even after reviewing the information, intelligence officers could not identify it.
How Radar Calculated the Speed
The incident took place in November 1964. The pilot estimated the object’s speed based on what he saw. Radar aboard the ship, called the Guyat, tracked it and recorded data on its movement.
Speed can be calculated by comparing an object’s position at different times. According to the document, the radar data indicated a speed of about 7,000 kilometers per hour, nearly twice the pilot’s estimate. The document describes the radar track as good and says it matched the pilot’s sighting. Intelligence officers also asked to review the radar photographs.
The U.S. Aircraft Theory Was Ruled Out
A Navy commander initially identified the object as an American experimental aircraft. Intelligence officers later rejected that identification. They considered whether it might have been an advanced experimental aircraft, but ruled out that possibility.
Missile tests were underway in the area at the time. Intelligence officers thought a foreign aircraft might have been collecting information about them. They noted that the tests could interest anyone seeking to monitor U.S. activity. But they offered no evidence that a foreign aircraft had actually been operating there.
What Remains Unknown
The object’s identity remains unknown, and the document offers no definitive answer. It also does not explain exactly how the speed was calculated or whether a further review of the radar photographs confirmed it.
The pilot saw a triangle. Radar recorded fast-moving activity, but did not identify an aircraft.
