P-3 Orion Encounter
We were on an exercise one night tracking an American Sub, when our In-Flight Technician (IFT) called the cockpit (Flight) reporting "traffic 9 o'clock Parallel," to which FLIGHT told him to "keep an eye on it." We all found out later that our IFT was reporting what he thought was a starboard side navigational light (green) from another aircraft heading the same direction as ourselves.
A few minutes later, the IFT keyed the mic and was gonna suggest that FLIGHT change course as the Green light appeared to be getting closer, but he really got out was "Holy (expletive)!!! What the hell is that thing? Flight, you guys see it?".
All this sudden commotion on the intercom got me and the other Acoustic operator to look up from our stations. Looking up the "tube" (which we affectionately called the aircraft interior), we saw the flight station was flooded with a brilliant light shining through every window from above. I got up from our station and made my way up the Tube towards the cockpit.
Both pilots and the flight engineer (FE) were leaning forward trying to look up. Everybody was kind of panicky and yelling back and forth in the flight station when the brilliant light stopped, and the pilot said "look at that! look at that!!." The object had moved from above us to about a hundred yards off of our port wing. That was the first I actually got to get a look at it.
It was about 50 feet long, cylindrical, and green light all over. The surface was smooth, or at least I couldn't make out any markings or features.
The second FE came up to the flight station with this high tech camera that we used for intel gathering. He told me to move, so he could get some good shots of it. I made my way aft to the port overwing exit so i could see the object. It just stayed off our wing for maybe 2 or 3 minutes then shot off and up faster than anything I have ever seen. It went from about 100 yards to out of sight in just a couple seconds.
Our Navigator/Communications officer (NAVCOM or NAV) had been on the radio with Red Crown (An AEGIS Cruiser acting as the air traffic control for the exercise area) who asked that we loiter on station and see if we could re-establish contact. We remained on station for another half hour and were told to RTB (return to base).
When we landed, two white government vans took all of us to the briefing/debriefing center. We were interviewed one at a time. Our interviews taped. Our film confiscated... (two of the guys had their own personal cameras and had snapped some photos too). Our mission tapes confiscated. We were told to not discuss this flight and made to sign an agreement to that effect.
Well, we thought this was all too cool, so we get back to the barracks and my buddy, who had been the radar operator on the flight, and myself started spilling our guts. "We saw a freakin UFO!!!" The following day, our crew was called into the CO's office, he informed us that he was hearing "stories" and reiterated the fact that we were "NOT to discuss it." So with the exception of a few hushed story swappings, here and there... we did.
((NUFORC Note: We express our gratitude to the source of the report for his having shared the information with NUFORC! PD))
We were on an exercise one night tracking an American Sub, when our In-Flight Technician (IFT) called the cockpit (Flight) reporting "traffic 9 o'clock Parallel," to which FLIGHT told him to "keep an eye on it." We all found out later that our IFT was reporting what he thought was a starboard side navigational light (green) from another aircraft heading the same direction as ourselves.
A few minutes later, the IFT keyed the mic and was gonna suggest that FLIGHT change course as the Green light appeared to be getting closer, but he really got out was "Holy (expletive)!!! What the hell is that thing? Flight, you guys see it?".
All this sudden commotion on the intercom got me and the other Acoustic operator to look up from our stations. Looking up the "tube" (which we affectionately called the aircraft interior), we saw the flight station was flooded with a brilliant light shining through every window from above. I got up from our station and made my way up the Tube towards the cockpit.
Both pilots and the flight engineer (FE) were leaning forward trying to look up. Everybody was kind of panicky and yelling back and forth in the flight station when the brilliant light stopped, and the pilot said "look at that! look at that!!." The object had moved from above us to about a hundred yards off of our port wing. That was the first I actually got to get a look at it.
It was about 50 feet long, cylindrical, and green light all over. The surface was smooth, or at least I couldn't make out any markings or features.
The second FE came up to the flight station with this high tech camera that we used for intel gathering. He told me to move, so he could get some good shots of it. I made my way aft to the port overwing exit so i could see the object. It just stayed off our wing for maybe 2 or 3 minutes then shot off and up faster than anything I have ever seen. It went from about 100 yards to out of sight in just a couple seconds.
Our Navigator/Communications officer (NAVCOM or NAV) had been on the radio with Red Crown (An AEGIS Cruiser acting as the air traffic control for the exercise area) who asked that we loiter on station and see if we could re-establish contact. We remained on station for another half hour and were told to RTB (return to base).
When we landed, two white government vans took all of us to the briefing/debriefing center. We were interviewed one at a time. Our interviews taped. Our film confiscated... (two of the guys had their own personal cameras and had snapped some photos too). Our mission tapes confiscated. We were told to not discuss this flight and made to sign an agreement to that effect.
Well, we thought this was all too cool, so we get back to the barracks and my buddy, who had been the radar operator on the flight, and myself started spilling our guts. "We saw a freakin UFO!!!" The following day, our crew was called into the CO's office, he informed us that he was hearing "stories" and reiterated the fact that we were "NOT to discuss it." So with the exception of a few hushed story swappings, here and there... we did.
((NUFORC Note: We express our gratitude to the source of the report for his having shared the information with NUFORC! PD))
No
Yes
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Yes
Yes
No
No
Off
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No
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No
No
No
Atlantic Ocean (inflight, USN P-3)
Atlantic Ocean
5 min
5 min
cylinder
Occurred : 02:00 (Entered as : 02:00) Reported: 4/2/2005 8:47:07 PM 20:47 Posted: 4/16/2005 Location: Atlantic Ocean (inflight, USN P-3), Shape: Cylinder Duration: 5 min Characteristics: There was an aura or haze around the object, The object emitted beams, There were aircraft in the vicinity or aircraft chasing the object
P-3 Orion Encounter ((NUFORC Note: Witness intentionally does not include date of incident. PD))