Full Breakdown
Pentagon Releases Sixth Batch of Declassified UAP Files
By Drooid · · How we work
Sixth Batch Unveiled
On September 18, 2026, the Pentagon made public a new collection of documents, videos, images and audio recordings, marking the sixth release under the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE). The files originate from multiple federal agencies—including the Department of Defense, FBI, CIA, State Department and the Executive Office of the President—and were reviewed by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO).
Background & Context
The current wave of disclosures follows an executive order signed earlier in 2026 by President Donald Trump, directing the government to declassify records on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). Since that directive, five prior batches were released on May 8, May 22, June 12, July 10 and August. The new release adds to hundreds of files made public since the program’s launch in May 2026. Many of the historical items trace back to the Air Force’s Project Blue Book, the Cold-War-era effort to investigate UFO sightings.
Data & Statistics
- Historical footage: Video from Utah captured in 1952 shows a swarm of objects, previously unseen by the public.
- Recent infrared video: A 2023 recording from the Yellow Sea and a 2025 clip from the Middle East each depict “six small spherical objects” moving agilely, with the report estimating a speed of 480 miles per hour.
- Acceleration claim: A 1953 Project Blue Book document calculated an acceleration of up to 965 times gravity for certain objects.
- Financial scope: A 2008 expense report details a nearly $22 million government investigation into unexplained aerial phenomena.
- Redactions: The Pentagon notes that redactions were applied only to protect eyewitness identities, sensitive locations, or classified military sites, not to conceal the nature of the phenomena.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Today, the Department of War is publishing the sixth release of declassified and historical Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) files as part of the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (PURSUE),” — Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnel
Timeline of Releases
- May 8 – First batch under PURSUE released.
- May 22 – Second batch released.
- June 12 – Third batch released.
- July 10 – Fourth batch released.
- August – Fifth batch released.
- September 18, 2026 – Sixth batch released, including the items listed above.
Why It Matters
The cumulative disclosures provide researchers and the public with a broader evidentiary base for analyzing UAP encounters across decades, from early Cold-War sightings to modern infrared sensor data. While AARO maintains that no definitive extraterrestrial link has been established, the continued release of historically and technologically diverse material sustains congressional and scientific interest in understanding the frequency, performance characteristics and potential security implications of unidentified aerial phenomena.