On 18 November 2016, a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon was flying maritime patrol over the Eastern Mediterranean, off the coast of Syria. Its task that day was to monitor the Kuznetsov Carrier Task Group — the KCTG — the Russian navy's only aircraft carrier, then deployed in support of operations in Syria.
At 13:10 Zulu, the aircraft's EO/IR sensor caught something low over the water: an unidentified object in what the report calls 'sea-skim mode,' moving at approximately 500 knots on a southeasterly heading, outbound from the Russian group. The object's origin is recorded as unknown.
For roughly two minutes, the P-8A tracked it from about 26 nautical miles to the south. The object transited between a Russian salvage tug — the Ingul — and a second vessel the report leaves unidentified. At 13:12 Zulu, about 40 nautical miles northwest of Latakia, the aircrew lost visual contact.
The declassified USCENTCOM mission report, released to AARO under the PURSUE initiative, describes the encounter in dry, procedural language. The mission commander characterized the interaction as 'safe' and assessed it as 'standard activity consistent with the assessed activity of the KCTG.' It also notes this was the first observed occurrence of possible missile activity by a P-8 aircraft in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Two details stand out. Despite the 'standard activity' assessment, the object's origin was still recorded as unknown, and specific coordinates are redacted under exemption 1.4a. And the report references a direct link to the EO/IR video footage — that link is blacked out. The footage exists; it has not been released to the public.
Below is the declassified document with its redactions preserved, alongside a reconstruction of the sensor track built from the report's own coordinates. Every figure here comes directly from the file — read it yourself and decide what you think happened over that stretch of sea.
SECRET//REL TO USA, NATO 18 NOV 2016
P-8A Observes Unidentified Low-Flying Object 55 NM Northwest of Latakia, Syria
BLUF
While monitoring KCTG activity in the Eastern Mediterranean, a P-8A observed an unidentified low-flying object 55 nm northwest of Latakia from an unknown origin, traveling at approx 500KTS on a southeasterly heading outbound from KCTG, for ~2 minutes.
Timeline (Z)
- (U//REL) 18/1310Z: P-8 observed a possible missile launch IVO ████████1.4a from an origin unknown, detected via the EO/IR sensor. The possible missile appeared to be in sea-skim mode traveling at approximately 500KTS on a southeasterly heading outbound from KCTG. P-8 position was 26NM S of object detection at 16121 FT ████████1.4a
- (U//REL) 18/1312Z: P-8 lost visual of the object IVO ████████1.4a approx. 40 NM northwest of Latakia. The object was observed to pass between (RUS) INGUL ARS and 1x U/I vessel.
Weather
(U) P-8 aircrew characterized visibility as clear, with no range limitations.
CTG 67.1 Comments
The mission commander for P-8 characterized the interaction as safe. While this was the first observed occurrence of possible missile activity by P-8 aircraft in the Eastern Mediterranean, it is assessed to be standard activity consistent with the assessed activity of the KCTG. Video footage can be found at this link: ██████████████b6
Declassified 20 MAR 2026 - MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff · USCENTCOM Mission Report (MDR 26-0038) - Approved for Release to AARO
18 November 2016. A US Navy P-8A Poseidon is on station over the Eastern Mediterranean, watching a Russian carrier group.
The crew is running a routine surveillance orbit. Clear skies. No range limitations.
Then, at 13:10 Zulu — military time — the EO/IR sensor picks up something low over the water.
The plane's camera recorded all of it. A decade later, when the file was released, that video was the one piece they kept back.
Before the contact, you have to know where this plane was. The Kuznetsov Carrier Task Group — the KCTG — is deployed off the Syrian coast.
The P-8A is there to monitor. Not to engage. Just to watch.
The incident will unfold about 86 nautical miles northwest of Latakia, Syria. A stretch of sea that is, in November 2016, one of the most heavily watched pieces of water on Earth.
With clear air and an unobstructed line of sight, whatever the sensor captured, it captured cleanly.
Back to the tape. 13:10. The EO/IR sensor — the MX-20HD — detects a possible missile launch.
The object is in sea-skim mode. That means flying low enough to stay under most radar.
It is moving at approximately 500 knots, on a southeasterly heading. Outbound from the KCTG.
The P-8A is 26 nautical miles south of the object. Close enough for a clear lock, far enough to be safe.
Now watch the track. The object runs southeast, straight between the Russian salvage tug Ingul and one unidentified vessel, while the P-8A holds a lock from twenty-six miles to the south.
The report does not say how close the two ships were. Only that the object threaded the gap between them.
Two minutes after first detection, at 13:12, the P-8A loses visual contact. The object is about 40 nautical miles northwest of Latakia.
Total observation time: roughly two minutes. Then nothing.
Now look at the page itself. The mission commander's assessment is written in dry military language.
He characterizes the interaction as 'safe.' He assesses it as 'standard activity consistent with the assessed activity of the KCTG.'
But the object's origin is recorded as 'unknown.' Not Russian. Not identified. Unknown.
And there is a detail worth pausing on: this is the first observed occurrence of possible missile activity by a P-8 aircraft in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The report contains a direct link to the EO/IR video footage — the plane's own recording of the object. In the declassified document, that link is blacked out.
So the footage exists. It was recorded and stored. When the file was cleared for release, the written report came out. The video did not.
It was cleared for release on 27 March 2026, by Major General Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff. Everything, except the one thing you would actually want to see.
This file is part of a batch — Mission Observation Reports 26-038 to 26-046 — released under the PURSUE initiative. This is the one where the tape is missing.
So here is the question. Two minutes of an unidentified object skimming the sea, filmed by a US Navy aircraft, sitting in a government archive right now. Should that footage be released?
Tell us in the comments. The file itself is public — read it yourself at ufodata.org, case D-55. And subscribe to UFO Data.
All documents and footage are authentic, public-domain U.S. government releases. Narration is AI-generated text-to-speech.