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DOW-UAP-PR113 — Unresolved UAP Report, Western United States, 1996

This dossier examines a 1996 UAP incident in the Western U.S., highlighting the transfer of altered infrared footage to AARO in 2022. This material is significant as it highlights the challenges in handling and analyzing UAP data, especially when original footage has been altered and lacks formal archival processes.

File
Video · Release 04
Date
1996
Location
Western United States
Agency
Department of War

Probed Assessment

This dossier examines a 1996 UAP incident in the Western U.S., highlighting the transfer of altered infrared footage to AARO in 2022.

Key takeaways

  • The UAP incident footage, likely captured by a U.S. military infrared sensor in 1996, was transferred from the UAPTF to AARO in 2022.
  • The video was reportedly altered before being reported to the UAPTF, raising questions about the integrity of the footage.
  • At the time of the incident, there were no formal data handling practices for UAP-related records, complicating the archival and analysis processes.

Why it matters

This material is significant as it highlights the challenges in handling and analyzing UAP data, especially when original footage has been altered and lacks formal archival processes.

Corroboration

The dossier relies on a single source for its claims, with no referenced documents or independent corroboration, limiting the ability to verify the details independently.

Open questions

  • What specific alterations were made to the footage before it was reported to the UAPTF?
  • Why were there no formal data handling practices for UAP records in 1996?
  • What platform captured the original footage, and are there any remaining unaltered copies?
  • What criteria did the UAPTF use to decide on transferring this media to AARO?
  • Are there any other records or testimonies from 1996 that could corroborate the incident?

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

The United States Navy Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) transferred this media to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) in 2022. The video contains 2 minutes and 57 seconds of footage likely captured by an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform in 1996. Video Description: No formal data handling practices for UAP-related records existed at the time this media was reported to the UAPTF. This media was digitally altered before being reported to the UAPTF, and is presented as it was received by AARO. 00:01-00:13: No content. 00:14-00:17: An area of contrast transits the sensor field-of-view, entering near the upper right corner and exiting near the lower left corner of the frame. 00:18-01:21: The footage repeats frame-by-frame. 01:22-02:13: The footage repeats at a slower playback speed. 02:14-02:56: The footage holds on a frame extracted from the first 17 seconds of the video. 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.

Preserved verbatim as source metadata. This wording is separate from Probed’s file-specific description and assessment.

File Context

Related entities

6
Research Map relationships require row-level claim or timeline references.

Tracker findings

1

Original transit occupies only three seconds of the edited video

War.gov identifies a three-second transit from upper right to lower left; the rest of the 1996 file repeats, slows, or freezes footage from the opening 17 seconds.

Release provenance

Release
Release 04
Official ID
release-04-file-006-dow-uap-pr113-unresolved-uap-report-western-united-states-1996
Cleared
Jul 10, 2026
Official release source

Related coverage

12

Sighting Context

Stored occurrence and enrichment data for this released artifact. Missing or regional data stays explicit rather than being inferred.

Shape model

light

Static reduced-motion summary

Observation profile

Recorded occurrence details

Occurrence
Western United States · 1996
Location
Western United States
Classification
light

Environmental, lunar, orbital, satellite, airport, and nearby-infrastructure context loads when this section approaches the viewport.

Referenced Timeline

  1. UAP Incident in Western United States

    Footage likely captured by an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform.

  2. Transfer of Media to AARO

    The UAPTF transferred the media to the AARO.

Source Claims

Claims are attributed to the released source and remain distinct from Probed’s assessment and tracker findings.

Source reportedObserved

The United States Navy Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) transferred this media to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) in 2022.

The United States Navy Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) transferred this media to the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) in 2022.

Source reportedObserved

The video contains 2 minutes and 57 seconds of footage likely captured by an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform in 1996.

The video contains 2 minutes and 57 seconds of footage likely captured by an infrared sensor aboard a U.S. military platform in 1996.

Source reportedObserved

No formal data handling practices for UAP-related records existed at the time this media was reported to the UAPTF.

No formal data handling practices for UAP-related records existed at the time this media was reported to the UAPTF.

Source reportedObserved

This media was digitally altered before being reported to the UAPTF.

This media was digitally altered before being reported to the UAPTF.

Source Material & Evidence

video

DOW-UAP-PR113 Video

Department of War

Transcript

00:01

No content.

00:14

An area of contrast transits the sensor field-of-view, entering near the upper right corner and exiting near the lower left corner of the frame.

00:18

The footage repeats frame-by-frame.

01:22

The footage repeats at a slower playback speed.

02:14

The footage holds on a frame extracted from the first 17 seconds of the video.

Research Map

6 entities · 2 grounded links

Lines appear only when two entities share a row-level source claim or dated timeline event. Unconnected nodes remain visible without implying a relationship.

UAP/Disclosure Graph
6 nodes2 links