The Department of War has made public a video recording of an unidentified aerial phenomenon captured by a U.S. Coast Guard C-144 aircraft on April 24, 2024, over the Gulf of Mexico near Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The footage, released under the department’s PURSUE policy framework and designated PR66, offers a technical but limited view of a sensor observation in the infrared spectrum.
The video displays a single object described by analysts as having a “tic tac” shape—a cylindrical or pill-like form lacking visible wings, rotors, or propulsion systems. This terminology has been used in previous UAP reports to characterize similar sightings. Sensor data indicates the object was operating at an altitude consistent with military training airspace, yet no corresponding aircraft or drone activity was logged for that time and location. According to the accompanying report, the object exhibited no thermal signature beyond ambient background levels, a feature that has puzzled analysts.
The filename—dow-uap-pr066-uscg-c-144-tyndall-uap-1-tic-tac-ir-hot-24-april-2024—confirms the recording was made by the Coast Guard’s C-144 aircraft, a C-130 variant used for maritime patrol, with the sensor operating in infrared mode. The Department of War has not identified the object or attributed it to any known technology.
The release is part of the department’s ongoing compliance with the PURSUE policy, which mandates declassification of UAP-related materials when feasible. The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, established under the Office of the Secretary of Defense, serves as the lead entity for analyzing such incidents. While AARO has not yet issued a formal assessment of this event, the video has been logged in its central repository.
Context for the incident includes Tyndall Air Force Base’s role as a major installation for F-35A Lightning II training and air defense operations. The Gulf of Mexico is a known area for military exercises, but no allied or adversary assets were reported in the vicinity at the time of the recording.
The Coast Guard crew did not report any visual contact with the object, which was only detected by onboard sensors. The Department of War’s release does not speculate on the nature of the object. It notes that the video has been reviewed by AARO, which may request additional data from the Coast Guard, interview operators, or task other sensors to revisit the area.
The report emphasizes that the footage is raw and unenhanced, with analysis ongoing. Moving forward, AARO is expected to incorporate this incident into its broader assessment of UAP trends in the Gulf region.
The office has authority to request additional sensor data, flight logs, and operator testimony. No timeline for a final determination has been provided, but the release under PURSUE ensures public access to the primary evidence while analysis continues.
