David Grusch, a former member of a U.S. Air Force panel dedicated to investigating unidentified anomalous phenomena, recently delivered highly anticipated testimony.
The panel, known as unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), has become the focus of congressional efforts to urge intelligence agencies to be more transparent about the existence of UFOs. In recent years, there has been an upsurge in reported sightings of UFOs by military personnel and pilots, leading to increased scrutiny of the subject.
Despite extraterrestrial life being surrounded by stigma, confusion, and secrecy for a long time, lawmakers from both sides of the political spectrum are now rallying to encourage further research on the matter, considering it a national security concern.
“UAPs, whatever they may be, may pose a serious threat to our military and our civilian aircraft, and that must be understood,” Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California said. “We should encourage more reporting, not less on UAPs. The more we understand, the safer we will be.”
Testifying before a House subcommittee on Wednesday, Grusch made sworn statements asserting that he believes the U.S. government possesses Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs).
He arrived at this conclusion after conducting interviews with 40 witnesses over a span of four years. According to Grusch, during his examination of classified programs, he became aware of a long-standing UAP crash retrieval and reverse-engineering initiative spanning several decades.
However, when he requested access to these programs, his request was denied. Moreover, he accused the military of misusing funds to keep these operations hidden from congressional oversight.
In response to Grusch’s claims, the Pentagon refutes the existence of any UAP crash-retrieval and reverse-engineering program. A spokesperson for the Pentagon, Sue Gough, stated that the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) has not found any verifiable evidence to support such claims.
The Department emphasizes its commitment to transparency and accountability while ensuring the protection of sensitive information, sources, and methods. They also maintain their dedication to timely and thorough reporting to Congress.
During his testimony, Grusch mentioned that he is aware of “multiple colleagues” who have suffered physical injuries caused by UAP activity and individuals within the U.S. government.
However, he chose not to divulge further details on this matter. Additionally, when questioned about the pilots of the craft, he asserted the discovery of “nonhuman biologics” at alleged UAP crash sites.
At Wednesday’s hearing, no government officials offered testimony. However, in April, Sean Kirkpatrick, the director of the Pentagon’s UAP-focused office, addressed a Senate subcommittee, revealing that the U.S. government was monitoring 650 potential cases of unidentified aerial phenomena.
During his public testimony, Kirkpatrick emphasized that there was no evidence of extraterrestrial life and his office had found “no credible evidence” of objects defying known laws of physics. Video footage from two of these incidents was shown during his testimony.
The House Oversight subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, on the same day, heard additional witness testimonies from former U.S. Navy fighter pilots Ryan Graves and retired Commander David Fravor. Both pilots claimed to have encountered aircraft of nonhuman origin.
Graves, who served in the Navy for over a decade, stated that these sightings were not rare or isolated. He further mentioned that military aircrews and commercial pilots, trained observers whose lives rely on accurate identification, frequently witness such phenomena.
Graves shared that his aircrew encountered a UAP during a training exercise off the coast of Virginia Beach, Va. Their lead jet came within 50 feet of what he described as a “dark gray or black cube inside of a clear sphere.”
The object, estimated to be five to 15 feet in diameter, remained motionless against the wind, positioned directly at the entry point. In response to the incident, the mission was immediately terminated, and Graves’ squadron submitted a safety report. However, he claims that the incident received no official acknowledgment.