AARO Historical Report Tracker: The DoD's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office
Introduction
The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) is the United States Department of Defense's primary body for detecting, identifying, and attributing unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) — a category that now formally encompasses airborne, maritime, subsurface, space, and trans-medium objects or events that cannot be immediately identified. AARO was established in July 2022 under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for FY2022, replacing and expanding the mission of the earlier UAP Task Force (UAPTF) that had been stood up in 2020.
This entry tracks AARO's institutional history, its major report releases, the congressional hearings that have shaped its mandate, and the current state of the government's official UAP investigation — as a matter of documented public record, distinct from the conspiracy framings that often accompany UAP discourse.
Origins: From Project Blue Book to AARO
The modern AARO apparatus has institutional predecessors stretching back decades. The U.S. Air Force ran Project Sign (1948), Project Grudge (1949), and most famously Project Blue Book (1952–1969), which investigated 12,618 reported sightings before being closed on the grounds that no UAP presented a national security threat and none was identified as extraterrestrial. The Condon Report (1969), commissioned by the Air Force and written by physicist Edward Condon at the University of Colorado, concluded that further systematic UFO study was unlikely to yield scientific benefit — a conclusion disputed by some scientists at the time.
The modern reactivation of official interest was driven primarily by reporting within the Department of Defense and intelligence community about UAP encounters by military aviators. The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), a mostly classified program that ran from 2007 to 2012, was funded at $22 million through the black budget at the direction of then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Luis Elizondo, who ran AATIP (or a successor office, depending on the account), left the DoD in 2017 and became a prominent public advocate for UAP disclosure.
In 2017, the New York Times published a front-page investigation documenting AATIP and releasing three declassified Navy infrared videos — later designated FLIR1, GIMBAL, and GOFAST — showing UAP encounters by Navy pilots. This reporting, and the subsequent Navy decision to formally acknowledge the videos as authentic, triggered a new wave of congressional and public interest.
AARO: Mandate and Structure
AARO was formally established on July 20, 2022, under Public Law 117-81 (NDAA FY2022). Its mandate is broader than any predecessor office:
- All-domain scope. AARO investigates objects and phenomena in air, space, sea surface, subsurface, and "trans-medium" (moving between domains) contexts.
- Historical record review. AARO was specifically tasked with reviewing all U.S. government UAP investigation programs since 1945, including classified programs, to assess whether any government effort had recovered non-human intelligence or materials.
- Reporting to Congress. AARO is required to submit annual unclassified reports to relevant congressional committees and maintain a public-facing reporting mechanism.
- Whistleblower support. The Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2023 established a secure reporting mechanism for individuals with knowledge of government UAP programs to report to AARO without risking unauthorized disclosure prosecutions.
The office is directed by a Senate-confirmed Director (a position held by Sean Kirkpatrick from 2022 to 2023, followed by Jon Kosloski beginning in 2024) and reports to the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security.
The 2024 Historical Record Report, Volume I
AARO released its Historical Record Report (HRR), Volume I, in March 2024. This report represented the most comprehensive official review of U.S. government UAP programs since Project Blue Book.
Key findings of Volume I included:
- AARO found no credible evidence that any U.S. government investigation, classified program, or intelligence community element had recovered non-human technology or biological material at any time.
- AARO reviewed hundreds of classified programs and interviewed dozens of individuals with claimed knowledge of recovered extraterrestrial material. In each case, the claims could not be corroborated, were based on second- or third-hand information, or were found to be misidentifications of classified domestic programs (advanced aircraft, surveillance platforms, or nuclear-related programs).
- AARO identified a pattern in which individuals with access to classified programs came to believe — incorrectly — that material from those programs was of non-human origin, often due to compartmentalisation that prevented them from learning the true nature of what they were handling.
- The report acknowledged that a significant portion of UAP reports reflect genuine anomalous phenomena (sensor artifacts, atmospheric events, adversary platforms) that have not yet been resolved, but stated this was a different claim from the assertion of extraterrestrial origin.
The 2025 Historical Record Report, Volume II
Volume II of the Historical Record Report, released in 2025, extended the review to additional programs, archives, and interviews. Its findings were consistent with Volume I:
- No recovered non-human intelligence, no reverse-engineered extraterrestrial craft, no evidence of a government program concealing such material.
- Additional resolution of specific cases that had generated persistent claims in the UAP community, including several that were traced to misidentified classified unmanned aerial vehicles and reconnaissance platforms.
- AARO noted ongoing unresolved UAP cases — particularly a subset involving military sensor data showing objects with flight characteristics that could not be attributed to known atmospheric or aerodynamic phenomena — but emphasised that unresolved does not mean extraterrestrial.
The Grusch Congressional Testimony (July 2023)
On July 26, 2023, David Grusch — a former intelligence official and Air Force officer who had served as a representative to the UAP Task Force — testified before the House Oversight Committee's Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs. Grusch claimed under oath that the U.S. government possessed recovered non-human craft and biological material, and that he had been denied access to the relevant programs when attempting to investigate for the UAP Task Force.
Grusch's testimony was unprecedented in its directness. He did not produce documentary evidence at the hearing. He subsequently stated he had provided a classified briefing to AARO and to the Intelligence Community Inspector General, who reportedly found his initial complaint had merit as an "urgent concern" requiring investigation — though this designation referred to the process, not the substance of the claims.
AARO's 2024 and 2025 Historical Record Reports did not corroborate Grusch's claims, despite specifically reviewing programs he identified. Grusch has disputed AARO's conclusions, arguing the office lacks sufficient access to the most highly classified programs.
The UAP Disclosure Act
The UAP Disclosure Act, modeled on the JFK Records Act, was proposed by Senator Chuck Schumer and Senator Mike Rounds in 2023 and passed in modified form as part of the NDAA FY2024. It established a review board with authority to declassify UAP-related records and required government agencies to report all UAP-related materials to a central repository. The Act explicitly contemplated the possibility that some reviewed materials might involve "non-human intelligence" and established legal protections for individuals providing such information.
The existence of the Act does not itself constitute evidence of recovered extraterrestrial material; it is a framework designed to declassify whatever exists, including material that may ultimately be entirely mundane.
What AARO Is and Is Not
AARO's work represents genuine official engagement with unresolved aerial phenomena that warrant investigation on national security grounds. The majority of unresolved UAP are assessed by AARO as likely explained by sensor limitations, foreign adversary platforms, or atmospheric phenomena once sufficient data is collected.
AARO is not a confirmation of any conspiracy framing. Its investigation of Grusch-type claims was thorough and returned negative results. That result is itself significant: the U.S. government's own designated investigative body, with access to classified programs, has found no evidence of recovered non-human technology after a multi-year review.
Ongoing Status
As of 2025, AARO continues to operate, receive reports from military and civilian sources, and produce periodic classified and unclassified reporting to Congress. The investigation is ongoing in the literal sense that new UAP are reported continuously and some percentage of them remain unresolved. AARO's budget and staffing have been expanded relative to predecessor offices, reflecting Congressional seriousness about the mandate.
The question of what constitutes genuine UAP remains open. The question of whether any confirmed UAP are of non-human origin remains, as of all published official reporting, unanswered in the affirmative.
Evidence Filters10
AARO established by Congress via NDAA FY2022
SupportingWeakCongress formally created AARO in July 2022 with a mandate to investigate unidentified anomalous phenomena across all domains, reflecting serious legislative intent.
Rebuttal
AARO's creation confirms official UAP investigation exists, not that confirmed non-human phenomena exist. Congressional mandates to investigate are distinct from Congressional confirmation of non-human origin.
David Grusch testified under oath to Congress about recovered non-human craft
SupportingWeakIn July 2023, former Air Force intelligence officer David Grusch told the House Oversight Committee under oath that the U.S. possessed recovered non-human technology and biological material.
Rebuttal
Grusch acknowledged he had not personally seen the material and was relaying accounts from others. AARO's 2024 Historical Record Report, which specifically reviewed programs Grusch identified, found no corroborating evidence.
Three Navy UAP videos officially acknowledged as authentic
SupportingWeakThe DoD formally acknowledged the FLIR1, GIMBAL, and GOFAST infrared videos as genuine recordings of unexplained aerial phenomena observed by Navy pilots.
Rebuttal
Authentication of sensor recordings confirms unexplained phenomena were observed; it does not confirm non-human origin. AARO attributes most unresolved UAP to sensor artifacts, adversary platforms, or atmospheric events pending further data.
Intelligence Community Inspector General found Grusch complaint credible as urgent concern
SupportingWeakThe IC Inspector General reportedly assessed Grusch's whistleblower complaint as meeting the "credible and urgent" threshold, triggering formal reporting requirements.
Rebuttal
The "urgent and credible" threshold concerns the procedural handling of the complaint, not a determination that the underlying substantive claims are true. AARO's subsequent review did not corroborate the specific program claims.
UAP Disclosure Act passed as part of NDAA FY2024
SupportingWeakA bipartisan UAP disclosure framework, modeled on the JFK Records Act, was passed as part of the FY2024 NDAA, establishing review mechanisms and whistleblower protections.
Rebuttal
Disclosure legislation reflects Congressional interest in transparency, not confirmation of extraterrestrial material. The Act's provisions contemplate multiple possible outcomes, including entirely mundane explanations for classified programs.
AARO's own reports acknowledge a subset of unresolved UAP
SupportingWeakAARO's annual reporting acknowledges that a percentage of reported UAP remain unresolved — sensor data showing flight characteristics not attributed to known platforms.
Rebuttal
Unresolved means not yet attributed, not confirmed non-human. AARO explicitly states that unresolved cases do not support extraterrestrial conclusions pending further data.
AARO Historical Record Report found no evidence of recovered non-human technology
DebunkingStrongAARO's 2024 Volume I report reviewed hundreds of classified programs and found no credible evidence of recovered non-human craft, technology, or biological material at any point in U.S. government history.
AARO identified a pattern of misidentified classified programs
DebunkingStrongThe 2024 report documented that individuals with access to classified conventional programs sometimes incorrectly concluded they involved alien technology, due to compartmentalisation preventing full context.
AARO 2025 Volume II extended review confirmed Volume I findings
DebunkingStrongVolume II reviewed additional programs, archives, and interviewees and found consistent results: no recovered non-human technology, no off-planet operations, no reverse-engineered craft.
Grusch acknowledged he had not personally witnessed alleged recovered material
DebunkingStrongUnder questioning, Grusch confirmed that his testimony relied on accounts from other individuals and that he had not directly observed the material he described. No documentary evidence was produced at the hearing.
Evidence Cited by Believers6
AARO established by Congress via NDAA FY2022
SupportingWeakCongress formally created AARO in July 2022 with a mandate to investigate unidentified anomalous phenomena across all domains, reflecting serious legislative intent.
Rebuttal
AARO's creation confirms official UAP investigation exists, not that confirmed non-human phenomena exist. Congressional mandates to investigate are distinct from Congressional confirmation of non-human origin.
David Grusch testified under oath to Congress about recovered non-human craft
SupportingWeakIn July 2023, former Air Force intelligence officer David Grusch told the House Oversight Committee under oath that the U.S. possessed recovered non-human technology and biological material.
Rebuttal
Grusch acknowledged he had not personally seen the material and was relaying accounts from others. AARO's 2024 Historical Record Report, which specifically reviewed programs Grusch identified, found no corroborating evidence.
Three Navy UAP videos officially acknowledged as authentic
SupportingWeakThe DoD formally acknowledged the FLIR1, GIMBAL, and GOFAST infrared videos as genuine recordings of unexplained aerial phenomena observed by Navy pilots.
Rebuttal
Authentication of sensor recordings confirms unexplained phenomena were observed; it does not confirm non-human origin. AARO attributes most unresolved UAP to sensor artifacts, adversary platforms, or atmospheric events pending further data.
Intelligence Community Inspector General found Grusch complaint credible as urgent concern
SupportingWeakThe IC Inspector General reportedly assessed Grusch's whistleblower complaint as meeting the "credible and urgent" threshold, triggering formal reporting requirements.
Rebuttal
The "urgent and credible" threshold concerns the procedural handling of the complaint, not a determination that the underlying substantive claims are true. AARO's subsequent review did not corroborate the specific program claims.
UAP Disclosure Act passed as part of NDAA FY2024
SupportingWeakA bipartisan UAP disclosure framework, modeled on the JFK Records Act, was passed as part of the FY2024 NDAA, establishing review mechanisms and whistleblower protections.
Rebuttal
Disclosure legislation reflects Congressional interest in transparency, not confirmation of extraterrestrial material. The Act's provisions contemplate multiple possible outcomes, including entirely mundane explanations for classified programs.
AARO's own reports acknowledge a subset of unresolved UAP
SupportingWeakAARO's annual reporting acknowledges that a percentage of reported UAP remain unresolved — sensor data showing flight characteristics not attributed to known platforms.
Rebuttal
Unresolved means not yet attributed, not confirmed non-human. AARO explicitly states that unresolved cases do not support extraterrestrial conclusions pending further data.
Counter-Evidence4
AARO Historical Record Report found no evidence of recovered non-human technology
DebunkingStrongAARO's 2024 Volume I report reviewed hundreds of classified programs and found no credible evidence of recovered non-human craft, technology, or biological material at any point in U.S. government history.
AARO identified a pattern of misidentified classified programs
DebunkingStrongThe 2024 report documented that individuals with access to classified conventional programs sometimes incorrectly concluded they involved alien technology, due to compartmentalisation preventing full context.
AARO 2025 Volume II extended review confirmed Volume I findings
DebunkingStrongVolume II reviewed additional programs, archives, and interviewees and found consistent results: no recovered non-human technology, no off-planet operations, no reverse-engineered craft.
Grusch acknowledged he had not personally witnessed alleged recovered material
DebunkingStrongUnder questioning, Grusch confirmed that his testimony relied on accounts from other individuals and that he had not directly observed the material he described. No documentary evidence was produced at the hearing.
Timeline
UAP Task Force established by DoD
The Department of Defense formally establishes the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, the immediate predecessor to AARO, to investigate military UAP encounters.
AARO formally established under NDAA FY2022
The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office begins operations with a mandate broader than any predecessor office, covering air, sea, space, and trans-medium phenomena.
David Grusch testifies to House Oversight Committee
Former Air Force intelligence officer David Grusch testifies under oath that the U.S. government possesses recovered non-human craft. AARO is subsequently tasked with investigating his claims.
AARO Historical Record Report Volume I released
AARO's comprehensive review of classified programs since 1945 finds no credible evidence of recovered non-human technology. The report is released publicly and in classified form to Congress.
AARO Historical Record Report Volume II released
Volume II extends the review of classified programs, archives, and whistleblower accounts, confirming Volume I findings: no recovered non-human technology or off-planet operations documented.
Verdict
Official UAP reports can change the record, but each claim still needs documents, provenance, and corroboration.
What would change our verdicti
The verdict would change as official records, inspector-general findings, or independently verifiable evidence materially changes the record.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AARO and why was it created?
AARO (All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office) is the DoD's primary UAP investigation body, established in July 2022 under the NDAA FY2022. It replaced the UAP Task Force with a broader mandate covering air, sea, space, and trans-medium phenomena, driven by Congressional concern about unresolved military UAP encounters and the need for centralised accountability.
What did the AARO Historical Record Report conclude?
AARO's 2024 Volume I report reviewed hundreds of classified programs since 1945 and found no credible evidence that any U.S. government program recovered non-human spacecraft, technology, or biological material. Volume II (2025) confirmed these findings after an extended review.
Does David Grusch's testimony prove the government has alien craft?
No. Grusch testified under oath but acknowledged he had not personally seen the alleged material and was relaying accounts from others. AARO specifically reviewed programs Grusch identified and found no corroborating evidence. The IC Inspector General's "credible and urgent" finding concerned the procedural handling of the complaint, not confirmation of the substance.
What are the unresolved UAP that AARO acknowledges?
AARO's annual reporting acknowledges a subset of military UAP reports that remain unattributed — sensor data showing flight characteristics not yet explained by known platforms or phenomena. AARO explicitly states these unresolved cases do not support extraterrestrial conclusions; they represent gaps in data collection and analysis, not confirmed non-human phenomena.
Sources
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Further Reading
- paperAARO Historical Record Report Volume I — AARO / U.S. Department of Defense (2024)
- articleNew York Times: Glowing Auras and Black Money — The Pentagon's Secret UFO Program — Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal, Leslie Kean (2017)
- articleThe Debrief: David Grusch UAP Whistleblower Reporting — David Grusch / The Debrief (2023)
- paperScience: Report of the UAP Independent Study Team (NASA) — NASA UAP Independent Study Team (2023)