The Department of War has released a declassified recording of an unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) observed in 2021 by an Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensor on an ECS platform. The release, designated PR75, is part of ongoing transparency efforts under the PURSUE policy framework, which governs the controlled release of UAP-related information. The recording was made public on June 9, 2021, according to the filename dow-uap-pr075-09jun2021-platform-observed-uap-ecs.
The footage shows an object detected by the platform’s sensor, which was operating in an undisclosed location. The recording does not specify the geographic coordinates or the exact date of the observation beyond the year 2021.
The sensor captured the object at an unspecified altitude and speed, with the object exhibiting no immediately identifiable propulsion or aerodynamic features. The report does not say whether the object was tracked by radar or other sensors simultaneously. The Department of War, which predates the modern Department of Defense, continues to hold historical UAP records.
The release is consistent with the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) mission to coordinate UAP investigations across the military and intelligence communities. AARO, established under the Office of the Secretary of Defense, has been tasked with analyzing such reports to determine if they pose a threat to flight safety or represent adversarial technology.
The ECS platform, a designation used for certain intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets, recorded the object using its EO/IR suite. Technical details from the filename indicate the recording was made on June 9, 2021, but the platform’s operational context—such as whether it was conducting a routine patrol or a specific mission—has not been disclosed. The object’s appearance in the footage is described as a small, bright spot moving against a clear sky, with no visible wings, exhaust, or other conventional aircraft features.
This release follows a pattern of declassified UAP materials from the Department of War and other agencies, including videos from Navy pilots in 2004 and 2015. The PURSUE policy, implemented in 2021, aims to standardize the review and release of UAP records while protecting sensitive sources and methods. The policy requires that all UAP-related data be assessed for public release unless it compromises national security.
AARO can now request additional data from the platform operators, including telemetry, radar tracks, and crew interviews. The office may also cross-reference the observation with other UAP reports from the same timeframe and region.
If the object remains unidentified after analysis, it will be cataloged in AARO’s database for future correlation. The Department of War has stated that further releases under PR75 may follow as additional records are reviewed.
