What are the Pentagon's UFO files?

The Pentagon's UFO files are declassified documents and media related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) encounters, released for public access.

Where can I access the Pentagon's UFO files?

The files can be accessed on the Department of War's PURSUE website at war.gov/ufo.

Is there a schedule for the release of new UFO files?

New tranches are expected to be posted every few weeks, often on Fridays, but there is no set deadline for full disclosure.

Pentagon Says More UFO Files Are Coming 'Every Few Weeks' and Here Is What to Watch For This Time

Q: What does 'unresolved cases' mean in the context of the Pentagon's UFO files?

It means the government is unable to make a definitive determination on the nature of the observed phenomena.

The Pentagon says its declassified UFO files contain 'unresolved cases' that government analysts still cannot explain Danie Franco/Unsplash

The Pentagon's first release of declassified UFO files drew more than a billion visitors to its new website, but the most striking details in the 162-document tranche were buried in military reports that officials still can't explain.

Now a second batch is on the way.

Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed on 19 May that additional unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) files are 'actively being processed for publication,' with 'more to come very soon.' The Department of War has said new tranches will be posted 'every few weeks' on its PURSUE website at war.gov/ufo, meaning the next drop could arrive today.

What the First Files Actually Showed

The initial release on 8 May included 120 PDFs, 28 videos, and 14 images from the FBI, Department of War, NASA, and the State Department. The records span eight decades of encounters dating back to the 1940s, but the most unusual material sat in recent military footage.

A 2024 report from the US Indo-Pacific Command described a football-shaped object with three fin-like projections hovering near Japan. Detected by short-wave infrared sensors, it remained visible for nine seconds before vanishing. A 2023 video from US Central Command showed an object near the ocean surface off Greece executing multiple 90-degree turns at roughly 80 miles per hour (140 kilometres per hour) before a targeting system lost track of it.

The Pentagon has not attributed these encounters to any known aircraft, drones, or weather phenomena.

Why the Pentagon Calls Them 'Unresolved'

The Department of War chose its language carefully. Its official statement described the files as 'unresolved cases, meaning the government is unable to make a definitive determination on the nature of the observed phenomena.'

That is not a confirmation of extraterrestrial life. It is the US military formally stating that these objects behaved in ways its analysts cannot explain. The files carry no editorial commentary from government officials, leaving interpretation entirely to the public.

'While all of the files have been reviewed for security purposes, many of the materials have not yet been analysed for resolution of any anomalies,' the Department of War stated.

What to Watch For In the Next Release

The PURSUE programme, short for the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, spans multiple agencies, including the White House, NASA, the FBI, and the Department of War's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office. The Pentagon has described the effort as requiring the review of 'tens of millions of records, many existing only on paper.'

Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee and one of Congress's most vocal UAP transparency advocates, hinted that the initial batch was only a starting point. 'The 1st drop will be big but in comparison to what is coming they will be a drop in the bucket,' Burchett wrote on X. 'I would say "Holy Crap" is coming.'

A Rolling Disclosure With No End Date

The war.gov/ufo site has drawn more than one billion visitors since its 8 May launch, according to Parnell. It requires no login, subscription, or security clearance.

For readers tracking the releases, the pattern so far points to material dropping on Fridays. The first tranche arrived on Friday, 8 May, and the Pentagon's confirmation that processing is underway suggests the second batch could follow the same schedule before the end of May.

The Department of War hasn't set a deadline for completing full disclosure. Given the volume of records under review, the rolling releases could continue for months or years. The government isn't saying these are aliens. It is saying it doesn't know what they are.