The Navy Plane That Watched a Missile It Couldn't Explain
2026-08-03 · Declassified UAP records
On November 18th, 2016, a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon was watching the Russian carrier group in the Eastern Mediterranean when its cameras caught something no one expected.
Fifty-five nautical miles northwest of Latakia, Syria, the crew logged an unidentified low-flying object streaking southeast at roughly 500 knots — for about two minutes, from an origin the report simply calls unknown.
The declassified USCENTCOM mission report reads like a timeline. At 1310 Zulu, a possible missile launch. At 1312 Zulu, the aircrew lost visual as the object passed between a Russian vessel and one that's still unidentified.
But the most interesting parts are the black boxes. The exact origin coordinates? Redacted under exemption 1.4a. The link to the actual video footage? Redacted for privacy under FOIA b6.
The Navy's own assessment calls the encounter 'safe' and 'standard activity.' Yet they still classified where it came from — and hid the tape. Here's the actual document, exactly as it was released.
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
Where It Happened
Full Transcript
In 2016, a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon was shadowing Russia's carrier group over the Eastern Mediterranean, when its cameras caught something no one could explain.
Fifty-five miles northwest of Latakia, Syria: an unidentified low-flying object, streaking southeast at five hundred knots. Origin, unknown.
The declassified mission report lays out the timeline. Thirteen-ten Zulu, a possible missile launch. Thirteen-twelve Zulu, the aircrew lost visual as it vanished between two ships.
But look at the black boxes. The object's exact origin? Redacted. The link to the actual video footage? Also redacted.
The Navy called the encounter safe, and routine. So why classify where it came from, and bury the tape? Real files. Real footage. Subscribe to UFO Data.