The Department of War has made public a previously classified report concerning an unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) encounter from 2022, involving a military aircraft operating in European waters. The document, known as PR-013, was released under the PURSUE policy, a framework established in 2024 that governs the declassification of UAP-related information while safeguarding sensitive operational details and intelligence sources. The incident took place over international waters in the North Atlantic, roughly 200 nautical miles off the coast of Norway.
A P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, assigned to Patrol Squadron VP-4, was conducting routine surveillance when its AN/APY-10 radar system detected an object with flight characteristics that did not match any known aircraft or natural phenomenon. According to the report, the object hovered stationary at an altitude of 15,000 feet for approximately 12 minutes.
It then accelerated to an estimated speed of Mach 2.5 in under two seconds, executing a 90-degree turn without any noticeable deceleration. Following this maneuver, the object descended to 500 feet above sea level, where it remained stationary for another eight minutes before disappearing from radar coverage. The report notes that the object emitted no detectable electronic signals or thermal signatures consistent with conventional propulsion systems.
The document does not identify the object or offer a conclusive explanation for the event. It is classified as “unresolved,” meaning that the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) could not determine a conventional explanation after initial analysis.
File metadata indicates the report was compiled by the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s UAP task force in late 2022 and reviewed by AARO in 2023. The release is part of a larger Department of War initiative to increase transparency regarding UAP encounters. The PURSUE policy, established in 2024, mandates the declassification of UAP reports that do not compromise national security.
AARO, which oversees the analysis of such incidents, has stated it will continue investigating unresolved cases using advanced data analytics and sensor fusion techniques. Looking ahead, AARO officials have indicated they will request additional data from allied nations and seek to interview the aircrew involved in the 2022 encounter.
The office also plans to re-examine the radar data using updated algorithms that may reveal previously unnoticed signatures. The Department of War has emphasized that no evidence of extraterrestrial technology has been found in any declassified UAP report to date.
