(Image credit: Public Domain Pictures)
How do we get this kind of job? I’d search for extraterrestials all day!
According to a story from the New York Times, government research into unidentified flying objects didn’t end with the cancelation of Project Blue Book back in 1970. The Times stumbled onto the “Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification” program while perusing the Defense Department’s $600-billion annual budget, which the Time’s quoted as saying, “was almost impossible to find.” The shadow program was apparently started in 2007, ended in 2012 and was run by intelligence official Luis Elizondo in the C-Ring of the Pentagon.
Strap into your seats because here is where it gets crazy- the initial funding for the $22-million AATI came from retired Nevada Senator Harry Reid, who sent most of that money to long-time friend Robert Bigelow (of Bigelow Aerospace), who believes UFOs and aliens undoubtedly exist. Bigelow, whose company is now partnered with NASA on building inflatable habitats, once bought the Sherman Ranch in Nevada (AKA Skinwalker Ranch), which was highly reported as a paranormal and UFO hotspot during the late 90’s. Bigelow sent a team of scientists there for extended investigations into those claims and reported on seeing ‘interdimensional beings, UFOs, unusual stealth-like craft emerging from portals, intelligent-controlled orbs and even massive Big Foot-like creatures.’
Regardless, most of the funding for the AATI program stopped flowing in 2012, but that program is still technically active. While most of the details surrounding AATI are still hidden, what’s come to light are various encounters between US military aircraft and unidentified flying objects that exhibited incredible capabilities, including flying and maneuvering at fantastic speeds with no visible wings, rotors or other forms of propulsion. One incident happened off the coast of San Diego in 2004 with a pair of F-18 pilots encountering a UFO hovering over the ocean. As they got close to what they describe as a white Tic Tac, the craft shot up into the air and flew so fast they lost sight of it. View video of this encounter below-
It’s unknown what conclusions the DOD came to or if any technology was boosted from downed craft but what is clear, is pilots often encounter objects in the sky that can’t be identified or in some cases, misidentify aircraft due to adverse conditions. It’s also clear that the government took a credible interest in the phenomena and committed resources to its investigation. I guess the truth is out there.
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