Overview
This timeline documents verified dates and events in UFO/UAP history. All dates are based on official records, contemporary news reports, or documented government actions. Unverified claims and alleged events without supporting documentation are not included.
For a complete list of official documents, releases, and statutory deadlines, see the UAP Official Files Tracker.
The Modern UFO Era Begins (1947-1952)
| Date | Event |
|---|
| June 24, 1947 |
Kenneth Arnold Sighting: Private pilot Kenneth Arnold reports seeing nine unusual objects flying near Mount Rainier, Washington. Press coverage coins the term "flying saucer," launching the modern UFO era. |
| Late 1947 |
Project Sign Established: U.S. Air Force creates its first official UFO investigation program at Wright-Patterson AFB. |
| 1949 |
Project Grudge: Project Sign is reorganized and renamed Project Grudge. |
| March 1952 |
Project Blue Book Begins: The Air Force establishes Project Blue Book under Captain Edward J. Ruppelt, with Dr. J. Allen Hynek as scientific consultant. |
Project Blue Book Era (1952-1969)
| Date | Event |
|---|
| 1952 |
Peak Year for Reports: Project Blue Book receives 1,501 UFO reports—its highest annual total—with 303 classified as unexplained. |
| October 1966 |
University of Colorado Study Begins: The Air Force commissions the University of Colorado to conduct an independent scientific study of UFOs, led by physicist Edward Condon. |
| October 31, 1968 |
Condon Report Submitted: The University of Colorado delivers its "Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects" to the Air Force. It concludes further extensive study is unlikely to advance scientific knowledge. |
| December 17, 1969 |
Project Blue Book Terminated: Secretary of the Air Force Robert Seamans announces the end of Project Blue Book, citing the Condon Report and 22 years of investigation. |
The Quiet Period (1970-2006)
| Date | Event |
|---|
| 1972 |
Hynek Publishes Classification System: Dr. J. Allen Hynek publishes The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry, introducing the Close Encounter classification system. |
| 1973 |
CUFOS Founded: Hynek establishes the Center for UFO Studies to continue scientific research. |
| November 14, 2004 |
USS Nimitz Incident: Navy pilots from the USS Nimitz carrier group encounter an unidentified object off the coast of San Diego. The incident would not become public until 2017. |
Return to Official Interest (2007-2019)
| Date | Event |
|---|
| 2007 |
AATIP Established: The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program is created within the Defense Intelligence Agency, championed by Senator Harry Reid. The program is funded with approximately $22 million. |
| 2012 |
AATIP Funding Ends: Pentagon officially terminates AATIP funding, though some research reportedly continues informally. |
| January 2015 |
GIMBAL and GO FAST Videos Recorded: Navy pilots off the East Coast capture two infrared videos of unidentified objects, later released as "GIMBAL" and "GO FAST." |
| December 16, 2017 |
AATIP Revealed: The New York Times and Politico publish simultaneous reports revealing AATIP's existence. Three Navy UAP videos are released to the public. |
| September 2019 |
Navy Confirms Videos: The U.S. Navy officially confirms that the three circulating videos (FLIR1, GIMBAL, GO FAST) are authentic Navy footage showing "unidentified aerial phenomena." |
Official UAP Investigations Resume (2020-Present)
| Date | Event |
|---|
| April 27, 2020 |
Pentagon Officially Releases UAP Videos: The Department of Defense formally releases three unclassified Navy videos (FLIR1, GIMBAL, GO FAST) to "clear up any misconceptions." The phenomena remain officially unidentified. |
| August 2020 |
UAPTF Established: The Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force is established within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security. |
| June 25, 2021 |
ODNI Preliminary Assessment: The Office of the Director of National Intelligence releases an unclassified preliminary assessment on UAP to Congress. Of 144 reports examined (2004-2021), most remain unexplained due to limited data. |
| April 2021 |
Pentagon Confirms Additional Videos: DoD confirms that photos and videos showing pyramid-shaped objects from 2019 (USS Russell) were captured by Navy personnel and are under investigation. |
| July 2022 |
AARO Established: The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office is established, replacing and expanding upon the UAPTF's mission to include transmedium and submerged phenomena. |
| October 31, 2023 |
AARO Secure Reporting Launched: AARO launches its secure reporting mechanism for current and former government personnel with knowledge of UAP-related programs. |
Congressional Action (2023-Present)
| Date | Event |
|---|
| July 26, 2023 |
House Oversight UAP Hearing: The House Oversight Subcommittee holds a public hearing featuring testimony from David Grusch, Ryan Graves, and David Fravor. Grusch testifies under oath about alleged UAP retrieval programs. |
| December 22, 2023 |
FY2024 NDAA Signed: President Biden signs the National Defense Authorization Act containing UAP provisions (Sections 1841-1843), establishing the UAP Records Collection at the National Archives. Key provisions from the proposed Schumer-Rounds amendment, including the Review Board and eminent domain authority, are not included. |
| February 2024 |
UAP Records Collection Established: NARA creates Record Group 615 for UAP records as required by law. |
| October 20, 2024 |
Agency Review Deadline: Deadline for federal agencies to identify and review UAP records in their custody. |
| November 2024 |
AARO FY2024 Report Released: AARO publishes its annual report covering May 2023-June 2024, documenting 757 new reports and stating no evidence of extraterrestrial activity has been found. |
| April 24, 2025 |
NARA Releases UAP Records: The National Archives releases UAP records transferred from ODNI, OSD, FAA, and NRC as part of Record Group 615, the Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Records Collection. |
| September 30, 2025 |
Records Transfer Deadline: Statutory deadline for federal agencies to transfer digital copies of publicly releasable UAP records to the National Archives, per the FY2024 NDAA. |
| July 2026 |
AARO FY2025 Report Released: AARO publishes its latest annual report covering June 2024-May 2025, documenting 319 new reports and resolving 370 cases, including 238 attributed to satellite flaring. |
| July 22, 2026 |
House Adopts UAP Disclosure Act: The House adopts Rep. Burlison's UAP Disclosure Act as an amendment to H.R. 8800 (FY2027 NDAA), proposing a permanent UAP Records Collection and independent Review Board. The amendment must still pass Senate and presidential signature to become law. |
Pending Legislation
As of September 2026, the UAP Disclosure Act adopted by the House as an amendment to the FY2027 NDAA is not yet law. If enacted, it would establish new deadlines including: agency records review within 300 days of enactment, public disclosure of transmitted records within 30 days, and online availability within 180 days. A 25-year disclosure rule would apply to all UAP records unless the President certifies postponement is necessary. The legislation must survive Senate consideration, conference negotiations, and presidential signature before any of its proposed deadlines become binding.
Note on Sources
This timeline includes only events that can be verified through official government documents, contemporaneous news coverage, or published records. Claims without documentary support, disputed dates, and unverified incidents are excluded to maintain factual accuracy.
For events prior to 2017, Project Blue Book archives at the National Archives remain the primary official source. Post-2017 events are documented through Congressional records, DoD press releases, and ODNI/AARO publications.