SPEAR (sanitization and analysis program for range fouler reports)

2020-08-31 / Arabian Gulf

A U.S. Navy O-2 pilot assigned to 482 ATKS filed a Range Fouler Debrief Form reporting that on August 31, 2020, during a dusk ISR mission over the Arabian Gulf, an object flew through the sensor screen and was then surpassed by a second object of the same size and shape but at much higher speed. At one point three objects were visible simultaneously on the screen, moving amongst each other, at a constant altitude of 18,000 feet on a heading of 150 degrees at 230 knots. The form was declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison and approved for release to AARO on March 16, 2026.