In 2004, pilots from the USS Nimitz encountered a white, oblong object off California that seemed to move in ways no known aircraft could. Footage became public in 2017, and in 2020 the Pentagon officially released it as "unidentified".
Truth label: Established. Strong evidence and broad agreement among experts.
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The pilots' account
Commander David Fravor described an object with no wings or visible engines that dropped and accelerated suddenly.
Ordinary explanations
Some analysts suggest sensor glitches, distant aircraft or optical effects. None has been confirmed.
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- Why it changed the conversation. Trained military witnesses, radar data and official footage made it hard to dismiss as a story.
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What did the Pentagon call the object in 2020?
Unidentified. It released the footage as unidentified.
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