UNEXPLAINEDCRAFT
The Gunship's Cold Orbs
2021 · Gulf of Oman
WHAT IT IS
A phone filming an AC-130J gunship's infrared screen during a live-fire exercise: small dark orbs dart around the reticle.
THE CASE FOR
One of six clips recorded together during the exercise. The accompanying intelligence report calls the objects 'cold orbs' about four feet across, and press coverage made it one of the best-known videos of the releases.
THE CASE AGAINST
It is a cellphone recording of a screen, not sensor data, and AARO warns of blurring and flicker from filming a display. At this resolution the orbs are small dark dots.
WHERE IT STANDS
Unexplained. No identification has been established. The record leaves it open.
STATUS IS OUR CURRENT ASSESSMENT, NOT A VERDICT · REVIEWED 4 OCT 2026
THE RECORD
- DATE
- 2021
- PLACE
- Gulf of Oman
- RECORDED BY
- DOW-UAP-PR122 · released by the Department of War via AARO
- TECHNICAL
- AC-130J infrared display, filmed by phone · Sept 2021 · DOW-UAP-PR122 · 26 s · PURSUE Release 5, 7 Aug 2026
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