DOW-UAP-D101, Unresolved UAP, Gulf of Oman, 2021
A declassified intelligence information report describes approximately 25 infrared observations during an AC-130 live-fire training mission over the Gulf of Oman on September 8, 2021. It records cold-orb appearances, formation and maneuver observations, crew speed estimates, missing propulsion indicators, and the failure of the aircraft recorder to preserve all footage.
- File
- Document · Release 05
- Date
- Sep 8, 2021
- Extent
- 7 pages
- Agency
- Department of War
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Probed Assessment
Key takeaways
- The report states that an AC-130 crew observed about 25 UAP instances during a September 8, 2021 live-fire exercise in the Gulf of Oman.
- It describes two roughly four-foot, cold-appearing orbs remaining near a flare just above the water for about 15 seconds.
- According to the report, the pair moved out of the sensor view after the weapon trigger was pulled without an observed altitude change.
Why it matters
This 7-page official record adds page-located primary-source material to the public history represented in Release 05. Its value lies in what the document records, not in independent confirmation of every reported event or estimate.
Corroboration
The assessment is grounded in the official PDF, reviewed page text, and faithful source excerpts. Statements attributed to witnesses or agencies remain source claims unless separately corroborated in the record.
Open questions
- • Which reported observations or technical estimates can be independently corroborated from contemporaneous records?
Probed separates this editorial assessment from the source claims below. It summarizes what the released artifact supports; it is not independent verification.
Official Description from War.gov
This document is an Intelligence Information Report (IIR), the primary standardized format utilized by the Department of War, military services, and the broader Intelligence Community to disseminate unevaluated intelligence information derived from human sources (HUMINT), open sources, and field collection activities. IIRs are not finished intelligence products; they serve as inputs for subsequent all-source intelligence assessments. This report accompanies the footage contained within DOW-UAP-PR117 through DOW-UAP-PR122. This report documents an observation by the aircrew of a U.S. Special Operations Forces (USSOF) AC-130 Gunship on September 8, 2021, during a nighttime live-fire training exercise over the Gulf of Oman. The aircrew reported first observing two unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) after dropping a water-activated flare. The report describes the UAP as stationary, approximately four feet in diameter, 0-20 feet above the water’s surface. Throughout the training sortie, the aircrew reported observing approximately 25 instances involving similar phenomena via infrared sensor, describing them as “cold orbs.” Aircrew visual estimates of the UAP’s apparent speed range from 250 to 1,300 miles per hour. The report characterizes the UAP’s behavior as “maneuvering aggressively,” “flying in various formations,” and appearing to react to deployments of the aircraft’s onboard weapons systems. The aircrew stated that they were unable to capture video footage of the phenomena because the aircraft’s digital video recorder was not functioning during the incident. All descriptive and estimative language contained in this report reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time of the event. Such characterizations should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics.
Preserved verbatim as source metadata. This wording is separate from Probed’s file-specific description and assessment.
File Context
Related entities
Tracker findings
The report states that an AC-130 crew observed about 25 UAP instances during
The record states: The report states that an AC-130 crew observed about 25 UAP instances during a September 8, 2021 live-fire exercise in the Gulf of Oman.
It describes two roughly four-foot, cold-appearing orbs remaining near a flare
The record states: It describes two roughly four-foot, cold-appearing orbs remaining near a flare just above the water for about 15 seconds.
Reported orbs left the sensor view after the weapon trigger was pulled
The record states: According to the report, the pair moved out of the sensor view after the weapon trigger was pulled without an observed altitude change.
Recorder corruption prevented preservation of all EO/IR footage
The record states: The report states that the crew's attempt to preserve all EO/IR footage failed when the digital recorder data became corrupted.
Crew calculations placed reported speeds between 250 and 1,300 mph
The record states: Crew calculations using the aircraft's tactical tools placed reported maneuvering speeds between about 250 and 1,300 mph.
Release provenance
- Release
- Release 05
- Official ID
- release-05-file-016-dow-uap-d101-intelligence-information-report-unresolved-uap-report-gulf-of-oman-2021
- Cleared
- Aug 7, 2026
Referenced Timeline
Gulf of Oman observations
An AC-130 crew reported multiple infrared observations during live-fire training over the Gulf of Oman.
Intelligence report created
The report metadata records creation and transmission on April 27, 2022.
Report declassified
The record states that the report was declassified on March 20, 2026.
Source Claims
Claims are attributed to the released source and remain distinct from Probed’s assessment and tracker findings.
The report states that an AC-130 crew observed about 25 UAP instances during a September 8, 2021 live-fire exercise in the Gulf of Oman.
i) On 8 September 2021 a USSOF AC-130 Gunship observed approximately 25 instances of UAPs while conducting a live fire exercise in the Gulf of Oman, The UAPs were observed as cok orbs flying at lower altitudes between 250 to 1300 MPH
It describes two roughly four-foot, cold-appearing orbs remaining near a flare just above the water for about 15 seconds.
When the CSO slewed the sensor in IR mode back to the ‘lare they observed two approximately four-foot diameter cold orbs between 0 to 20 feet above the surface of the water stationary over the flare for approximately 15 seconds.
According to the report, the pair moved out of the sensor view after the weapon trigger was pulled without an observed altitude change.
Immediately upon pulling the trigger, during the slight delay between trigger pull and the cannon's recoil, the CSO observed the pair of UAPs rapidly fly away from the flare and out of the sensor feed without changing altitude, GE SUBSEQUENT OBSERVATIONS.
The source description says the reporting individual had direct access to the information through official duties.
6/1/22, 11:23 AM HR DO: REQUIREMENT NUMBER: SOURCE: MESSAGE: Record Preview (v/a) 1.4c (SNF) Source had direct access to the reported information via the co nduct of official duties, | Source was aware information woul d be provided to the US governmen
The report states that the crew's attempt to preserve all EO/IR footage failed when the digital recorder data became corrupted.
a stationary EO/IR sensor with multiple UAPs darting around the sensor feed, The AC-130's crew attempted to save entirety of the EO/IR footage of the UAP observations but the aircraft's Digital Video Recorder (DVR) inexplicably failed and the video data became corrupted.
Crew calculations using the aircraft's tactical tools placed reported maneuvering speeds between about 250 and 1,300 mph.
The CSO calculated the UAP’s approximate speeds using the aircraft's TACTOOL and clocked their maximum observed maneuvering speed at 1300 miles per hour (MPH) and the UAPs minimum observed maneuvering speed at 250 MPH.
The report says no propulsion method was observed and notes coordination with U.S. defense offices in Muscat and at SOCCENT.
No means of propulsion were observed, cee dh) 1.4¢ js the tag line for AFSOC personne! conducting) 1.4c | This IIR was coordinated with USDAO Muscat and SOCCENT J2X without comment.
Source Material & Evidence
Research Map
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