UNCLASSIFIED // PUBLIC RELEASERELEASE 02 · MAY 22, 2026
PENTAGON UFO FILE · VIDEO · DOW-UAP-PR07509JUN2021 [Platform] observed UAP in the ECS
This is a short, plain clip with an unusually quick paper trail. Its title — “09JUN2021 [Platform] observed UAP in the ECS” — dates it to 9 June 2021, names the East China Sea, and hides the type of aircraft or ship. AARO agrees on the location and year, placing the footage above the East China Sea, the waters between China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, and believes an infrared sensor on a U.S. military platform recorded it. It was posted on a classified network in June 2021, within weeks of the date given.
What it shows
For 18 seconds the operator pans to keep a patch of contrast in view. At the 18-second mark, AARO says, the sensor loses sight of it, and the last few seconds are blank. No zooming, mode changes, second object or editing are recorded.
Context
The PURSUE release includes several later clips from the same waters, such as DOW-UAP-PR102. Nothing in the release links them to this one. With no range information, the clip says nothing about the target’s size or speed, and AARO stresses that its timeline is not a judgment about what was filmed. The video surfaced when AARO searched for records named in a March 2026 House request. More on the release is under PURSUE.
The official description
From war.gov/UFO, released May 22, 2026, quoted in full
On March 6, 2026, eight members of the U.S. House of Representatives requested access to 51 potentially UAP-related records allegedly held by the Department of War and the Intelligence Community. The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) identified a collection of responsive materials held on a classified network. Many of these materials lack a substantiated chain-of-custody.
AARO assesses that this video, whose uploader-defined title is, “09JUN2021 [Platform] observed UAP in the ECS,” is likely derived from an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform operating above the East China Sea in 2021. A user uploaded this video to a classified network in June 2021.
Video Duration: 00:00:23 Video Description: 00:01-00:18: The sensor pans to track an area of contrast. At the 18 second mark, the sensor loses sight of the object. 00:19-00:23: No content.
This video description is provided for informational purposes only. Readers should not interpret any part of this description as reflecting an analytical judgment, investigative conclusion, or factual determination regarding the described event’s validity, nature, or significance.