Official · Document · Department of War
American Aircraft Tracked Suspicious Object Off Syrian Coast
The object flew low over the sea and resembled a missile. After about two minutes, the crew lost sight of it.
In brief
An American aircraft tracked an object flying low off the Syrian coast for about two minutes. It was seen passing between two ships, then disappeared from the crew's sight.
Summary
Single-page USCENTCOM/CTG 67.1 mission briefing slide describing a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon observation of an unidentified low-flying object 55 NM (text body says 56 NM) northwest of Latakia, Syria, in the Eastern Mediterranean on 18 November 2016. While monitoring Russian Kuznetsov Carrier Task Group (KCTG) activity, the P-8 detected via its EO/IR sensor a 'possible missile launch' from an unknown origin in 'sea skim mode' at approximately 500 KTS on a southeasterly heading outbound from the KCTG; the object passed between Russian auxiliary replenishment ship (RUS) INGUL ARS and one unidentified vessel. The P-8 lost visual approximately two minutes later. CTG 67.1 assessed the interaction as safe and the activity as standard for the KCTG, but noted this was the first observed occurrence of possible missile activity by a P-8 in the Eastern Mediterranean. Declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison (rendered 'Hamson' by OCR), USCENTCOM Chief of Staff; covered under USCENTCOM MOR 26-038 to MOR 26-046 and approved for release to AARO on 03/27/26.
Incidents in the document
- 2016-11-18T13:10Z to 2016-11-18T13:12Z · 55-56 NM northwest of Latakia, Eastern Mediterranean (lost visual approx. 40 NM NW of Latakia), Syria (offshore) · Page 1
While monitoring KCTG (Russian Kuznetsov Carrier Task Group) activity in the Eastern Mediterranean, a P-8A observed via EO/IR sensor a possible missile launch from an unknown origin. Object detected at 18/1310Z; P-8 position was 26 NM south of object detection at 1612Z (apparent timestamp anomaly in source). P-8 lost visual at 18/1312Z approximately 40 NM NW of Latakia. Total observation window ~2 minutes. The object was observed to pass between (RUS) INGUL ARS and one unidentified vessel.