Official · Document · Department of War
Military Operator Saw a Dot That Looked Like a Missile
Four more dots appeared afterward. The observer thought they looked more like birds.
Released to the public May 8, 20262 min readALIENS editorial
Share:
Four more dots appeared afterward. The observer thought they looked more like birds.
During a mission in Iraq, an aircraft camera recorded five dots crossing the screen for over four hours. One appeared to the observer as a possible missile, while the other four resembled birds.
A USCENTCOM Mission Report (MISREP) covering an Air Force ISR sortie flown 6 May 2022 (06-07 May 2022 Z-time) under Operation INHERENT RESOLVE in support of operations in the Middle East. The report documents that during full motion video collection for target development, the aircraft observed five UAP cross its field of view between 1514Z and 1934Z; one was assessed as resembling a possible missile and the other four as fitting the profile of possible birds. The document is a standardized after-action report submitted by the 432 AEW with extensive 1.4(a) source/method redactions covering the platform, callsign, takeoff/landing locations, and altitude. It was declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison (USCENTCOM Chief of Staff) on 7 October 2025 and approved for release to AARO.
During target development on a redacted operation under OIR, the ISR aircraft's FMV sensor observed 1x UAP at 1514Z, with visual reconnaissance characteristics of a possible missile flying across the field of view. From 1514Z to 1934Z the aircraft observed a total of 5x UAP crossing the screen; the remaining 4 were assessed as fitting the profile of possible birds.
"AT 1515Z 1.4a OBSERVED A POSSIBLE UAP IN ITS FOV IVO OF 38SMC541.4a961.4a (SEE OBVS 1)."
Why it matters: ISR Gentext entry flagging the in-flight UAP observation tied to a partial MGRS grid; note time differs by one minute from the Observation block (1514Z).
Page 5
"FROM 1514Z to 1934Z, 1.4a OBSERVED 5X UAP FLY ACROSS THE SCREEN. AT 1514Z 1.4a OBSERVED A UAP WITH THE VISRECCE OF A POSSIBLE 1.4a MISSILE FLY ACROSS THE FOV IVO 38SMC531.4a961.4a 1.4a PROCEEDED TO SEE 4X OTHER UAPS IN THEIR FOV UNTIL 1934Z. ALL 4X REMAINING UAP FIT CLOSER TO THE PROFILE OF POSSIBLE BIRDS."
Why it matters: Core Observation Gentext: documents 5 UAP crossings over a 4 hour 20 minute window, with one initially characterized as a possible (redacted) missile and four as possible birds.
Page 6
"DUST HINDERED MOST FMV COLLECTION OF THE GROUND."
Why it matters: Atmospheric/weather caveat indicating sensor performance was degraded during the observation window.
Page 6
"FULL MOTION VIDEO WAS EXPLOITED BY DGS1."
Why it matters: Indicates downstream FMV exploitation by Distributed Ground Station 1, implying associated imagery exists.
Page 1
"1 IMINT TASKING PROSECUTED, 1.4a HOURS, 1 SIGINT TASKING PROSECUTED, 2 TOTAL TASKINGS PROSECUTED; 1 OBSERVATION"
Why it matters: Summary tally formally counting the UAP encounter as the single observation logged for the mission.
Page 1
Richard A. Harrison
Declassification Authority (Major General, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff) · USCENTCOM · Page 1
38SMC541.4a961.4a (Tasked Start Point, MGRS-style coordinate, partially redacted)
Page 5
38SMC531.4a961.4a (Aircraft Location and Observed Activity Location at 1514Z, partially redacted)
Page 6
Middle East / Iraq area of operations (Operation INHERENT RESOLVE)
Page 2
432 AEW (Air Expeditionary Wing)
U.S. Air Force · Page 2
379 AEW (Air Expeditionary Wing)
U.S. Air Force · Page 3
609 CAOC (Combined Air Operations Center)
U.S. Air Force · Page 2
609th Operations Center
U.S. Air Force · Page 2
AFCENT (Air Forces Central, MAJCOM)
U.S. Air Force · Page 2
USCENTCOM (Combatant Command)
U.S. Joint · Page 2
ISRD (Approver unit)
U.S. Air Force · Page 3
DGS1 (Distributed Ground Station 1, FMV exploitation)
U.S. Air Force · Page 1
MAG (Supported Unit)
Page 5
Aircraft type, takeoff location, callsign, mission times throughout narrative
Likely reason: E.O. 13526 1.4(a) — military plans/operations/sources & methods
Originator unit/squadron and ATO Mission Number
Likely reason: E.O. 13526 1.4(a)
POC names, phone, email
Likely reason: (b)(3) 10 U.S.C. 130b and (b)(6) personal privacy
QC and Approver names, phone, email
Likely reason: (b)(3) 10 U.S.C. 130b and (b)(6) personal privacy
Aircraft Callsign, Air-to-Ground Wpn, TGT Pod designator
Likely reason: E.O. 13526 1.4(a)
Asset Type fields under 1.4(a) and 1.4(g)
Likely reason: E.O. 13526 1.4(a) operations and 1.4(g) vulnerabilities/capabilities
Aircraft Tail Number(s), Takeoff ICAO Code, On Station Callsign
Likely reason: E.O. 13526 1.4(a)
Total Time On Station, Last Land ICAO Code, Total Mission Time, Sensors Available, Aircraft Callsign, supported Operation name, partial MGRS digits
Likely reason: E.O. 13526 1.4(a)
Aircraft Callsign, Aircraft Altitude, partial MGRS digits, missile type qualifier, post-observation activity descriptor
USCENTCOM MDR 25-0093 / JS-250710-TM8S; declassified 7 Oct 2025 by MG Richard A. Harrison; approved for release to AARO. Mission flown 6-7 May 2022 Z-time under Operation INHERENT RESOLVE; reporting unit 432 AEW with 609 CAOC oversight and 379 AEW approver. Document is a standardized MISREP form — most quantitative fields (callsign, ICAO, asset type, altitude, time-on-station, sensors-available) are redacted under E.O. 13526 1.4(a)/1.4(g); the qualitative UAP narrative survives in the ISR Gentext (p.5) and Observation Gentext (p.6). All five UAP encounters were confined to a single aircraft FOV between 1514Z and 1934Z near grid 38SMC53*96* (partial MGRS). Likely pairs with the DOW-UAP-D series of CENTCOM MISREPs from spring 2022 (Iraq AOR).
No. The report describes the observer's impressions but does not definitively identify the dots.
The dots were observed between 3:14 PM and 7:34 PM according to the report's timestamp, meaning over four hours.
Unidentified ISR aircraft (asset type and tail number redacted under 1.4a/1.4g)
aircraft · Page 4
FMV (Full Motion Video) sensor
sensor · Page 5
SIGINT collection sensor
sensor · Page 1
LRE (Launch and Recovery Element)
ground · Page 1
DGS1 (Distributed Ground Station 1, FMV exploitation node)
ground · Page 1
Likely reason: E.O. 13526 1.4(a)
During a military mission in Iraq, an operator observed footage captured by an aircraft camera. A single dot crossed the screen and appeared to him like a possible missile.
Following this, four more dots appeared, which he thought looked more like birds. The five dots were visible for over four hours. The same footage, therefore, presented two entirely different possibilities — without definitively identifying what truly passed in front of the camera.
The report describes a military aircraft mission in Iraq. The operator watched a video recorded by the aircraft's camera, and at 3:14 PM according to the report's timestamp, he saw a dot crossing the field of view — the area captured by the camera.
This is how the operator described the sighting in the report submitted to the US Air Force. The dot appeared to him as a possible missile. In other words, he described a resemblance to a missile, but did not definitively identify what he saw.
Later, four additional dots were seen. This time, in the observer's opinion, they more closely matched the appearance of birds. The report notes that the dots were observed between 3:14 PM and 7:34 PM — over four hours.
At the same time, dust made ground photography difficult. This is the only context the report adds regarding the filming conditions; it does not link the dust to the dots themselves.
It is unknown what the dots were. The possibilities suggested by the report are a possible missile for the first dot and birds for the other four, but these are the observer's impressions, not definitive identifications.
The first crossed the screen like a missile. It was followed by four dots that looked like birds — and the camera offered no further explanation.