A newly public infrared recording reveals an anomalous airborne object encountered by a United States Coast Guard C-144 crew during a standard Gulf of Mexico patrol last spring. The Department of War declassified the 90-second clip this week under its PURSUE transparency framework, marking the second such release from the same flight on April 24, 2024.
Filmed near Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, the footage shows a compact, oval-shaped target — likened by analysts to a “tic tac” — radiating a distinct thermal signature. Its flight characteristics, captured by the aircraft’s forward-looking infrared sensor, do not align with conventional aircraft, drones, or known aerial platforms. Telemetry data embedded in the recording logs the object’s position and relative movement, though the department has withheld precise speed and altitude measurements.
The video carries the internal designation PR65 and arrives as part of a broader declassification mandate tied to the PURSUE policy, which requires the release of unidentified anomalous phenomenon materials whenever operational security permits. Responsibility for evaluating the encounter falls to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, a Pentagon entity established to investigate and catalog such incidents across military and civilian domains. AARO has not yet published a formal determination on this case.
According to the release metadata, the C-144 was conducting routine surveillance when its sensor suite locked onto the object. The target remained in view for roughly a minute and a half before departing the camera’s field of regard. Officials have not confirmed whether companion radar systems or other detection methods also registered the contact. The filename further notes this was the second unexplained target logged by that specific airframe on the same date, though the department has not indicated whether supplementary recordings from the sortie exist.
AARO retains authority to requisition additional sensor logs, interview the flight crew, and cross-reference the event against other regional reports from the same timeframe. Comparative analysis with prior Gulf Coast incidents may help establish patterns or rule out prosaic explanations. The office has not announced a projected timeline for completing its assessment.
This disclosure reflects an ongoing effort to balance public transparency with the protection of sensitive capabilities and collection methods. While the thermal footage offers a rare unclassified glimpse into a documented UAP encounter, definitive characterization awaits further technical review. Additional insights may emerge as AARO integrates this case into its wider analytical portfolio.
