CASE FILE D-61
The Crew That Logged 'One Unknown Formation' Over the Gulf
2026-08-25 · Declassified UAP records
In August 2020, an MQ-9 Reaper flew a signals-intelligence mission in support of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, across the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman.
According to the declassified USCENTCOM mission report (Misrep 4685903), about ten hours after a guard call, at 1527 Zulu, the crew observed — in the report's own words — 'one unknown formation.'
The observation line describing it is redacted, along with the operation name and the crew's details, under national-security exemption 1.4a.
The aircraft belonged to the 482nd Attack Squadron — the same unit that logged another UAP over these same waters three months later (Case D-64).
Below is the declassified page, redactions preserved.
The Document
SECRET//NOFORN August 2020
UAP Mission Report — Persian Gulf (August 2020)
Narrative
( AT OFF FROM OKAS. AT ██████ HANDED OVER FROM THE LRE. FROM 0003Z TO 1917Z, ██████ COLLECTED SIGINT VI,} AIRHANDLER. FROM 0041Z TO 1840ZJ ████████1.4a SUPPORTED NAVCENT TO OPERATION ████████1.4a IVO ARABJAN GULF, STRAIT OF HORMUZ AND GULF OF OMAN. SEE IS ██████ LINE 1. AT 0532Z,! ! RECEIVED A GUARD CALL. SEE GUARDCALL LINE I. AT 15272, ██████ OBSERVED IX UNK I FORMATION. SEE OBSERVATION LINE 1. AT 1840Z, ██████ WAS CLEARED TO RTB. AT 1944Z, ██████ HANDED BACK TO THE LRE. AT 2012Z, ██████ LANDIED AT OKAS. FMV WAS ' EXPLOITED BY DGS 1. 21 MISSION HOURS, 17.9 HOURS, I IMINT TASKING PROSECUTED, 19.2 HOURS, 1 SIGINT TASKING PR SECUTED, 2 TOTAL TASKINGS PROSECUTED
Admin
- OPERATION: ,__!__--=-=1•c.:..:4a:a..-_
- COCOM: USCENTCOM
- UNIT: 482ATKS
Declassified 2045 — AARO release · USCENTCOM Mission Report — Approved for Release to AARO
Where It Happened
Full Transcript
At 15:27 Zulu, over the Gulf, an American aircrew logged something the report calls, in its own words, one unknown formation.
August 2020. An MQ-9 Reaper was flying signals-intelligence collection for the Navy across the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman.
About ten hours after a guard call, at 15:27 Zulu: observed one unknown formation. The report points to the observation line for the details — and it is redacted.
This is the declassified USCENTCOM report, its details blacked out under exemption 1.4a. And this crew's squadron would log another UAP over these same waters just three months later.
One unknown formation. No description. What do you think they saw? Search Case D-61 at ufodata.org. Subscribe to UFO Data.
Sources
All documents and footage are authentic, public-domain U.S. government releases. Narration is AI-generated text-to-speech.