Pentagon UFO office developing 'Gremlin' sensors to help identify anomalies in orbit

News
By
published

"We're really starting to understand what's in orbit around our planet and how we can eliminate those as anomalous objects."

a seal reading "AARO" above the Pentagon
AARO's seal in front of the Pentagon. (Image credit: AARO/Wikimedia Commons)

The Pentagon's UFO office is developing sensor kits to help it collect data in real time on unidentified objects in the sky or in space. 

That's according to Tim Phillips, the acting head of the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO, a U.S. Department of Defense office aimed at studying unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), a new term for UFOs that encompasses mysterious objects not only in the sky but also underwater or in space. 

Phillips said that his office is working with government laboratories and academia to develop a highly portable sensor kit known as the "Gremlin System" that can capture data across multiple spectra, according to a report in DefenseScoop.

Related: Pentagon has 'no credible evidence' of aliens or UFOs that defy physics

Phillips added that the Gremlin System has already proven capable of detecting a wide range of phenomena, including in space. "It's picking up a lot of bats and birds. We're learning a lot about solar flaring," Phillips told a select group of reporters on Thursday (March 7). 

"We're really starting to understand what's in orbit around our planet and how we can eliminate those as anomalous objects," he added.

RELATED STORIES:

 —  Previous Chinese spy balloons over US were classified as UFOs: report

 —  Pentagon UFO office unveils official website for US government personnel to report sightings

 —  Pentagon releases its long-awaited 2022 UFO report

The AARO director said that these Gremlin System sensors could be used to surveil sensitive sites for airspace intrusions, or even keep an eye on U.S. satellites in orbit.

"If we have a national security site and there are objects being reported that trend within restricted airspace, or within a maritime range, or in the proximity of one of our spaceships, we need to understand what that is. And so that's why we're developing a sensor capability that we can deploy in reaction to reports," Phillips said.

AARO plans to present the Gremlin System to Pentagon leaders so that the sensor kits could be deployed in the event of "UAP encounters at militarily significant locations or near U.S. critical infrastructure," DefenseScoop reported.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Brett Tingley
Brett Tingley
Managing Editor, Space.com

Brett is curious about emerging aerospace technologies, alternative launch concepts, military space developments and uncrewed aircraft systems. Brett's work has appeared on Scientific American, The War Zone, Popular Science, the History Channel, Science Discovery and more. Brett has English degrees from Clemson University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In his free time, Brett enjoys skywatching throughout the dark skies of the Appalachian mountains.

17 Comments Comment from the forums
  • rod
    This report indicates the Pentagon does not confirm ET phoning home here flying around Earth :)

    "Has the United States confirmed sightings of alien craft, or worked to reverse-engineer extraterrestrial technology? A more than 60-page Pentagon report released Friday says no, pouring cold water on popular conspiracy theories about government cover-ups of contact with aliens."...
    The Defense Department's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) "found no evidence" that any government investigation, academic research or official review "has confirmed that any sighting of a UAP represented extraterrestrial technology." Instead, "all investigative efforts, at all levels of classification, concluded that most sightings were ordinary objects and phenomena and the result of misidentification," said the report."

    https://phys.org/news/2024-03-pentagon-evidence-secret-alien-tech.html
    Reply
  • rod
    https://forums.space.com/threads/pentagon-ufo-office-finds-no-empirical-evidence-for-alien-technology-in-new-report.65531/
    Reply
  • Dave
    It has been awhile since we have heard from the AARO the office of misdirection, lies and cover up. Military reports regarding UAP disclosure truly are laughable. The meeting in congress by UFO whistleblowers back in July, finally revealed what everyone already knew -the truth. Credible witnesses from the military have been giving testimony for decades. Spacecraft are being observed maneuvering in such a way that defy the laws of physics.

    Bipartisan members of congress continue with their important mission, to have disclosure not only available to members of congress, but to those of us in the public as well. Mid- level bureaucrats block them at every turn. Still they continue to fight for the truth against an agenda based on a foundation of lies.

    We are not alone. Intelligent lifeforms are observing us. They do not wish contact. They do not wish to be discovered. We are not the center of the universe.
    Reply
  • COLGeek
    I don't think any rational member here thinks we are the center of the universe, so to speak.

    I for one, believe intelligent live exists elsewhere in the vastness of the Universe.

    That does not mean they have paid us a visit. There is zero hard evidence otherwise. Zero.

    Having spent nearly 4 decades in service to the US, with significant time in "the building" as part of many highly sensitive programs, I would have been exposed to such info. It simply isn't there. Nope, no matter how bad some want it.

    Zero. Zilch. Nada.

    Eyewitness testimony can simply be wrong and definitely inaccurate. Seeing may be believing...but not necessarily reality.

    Someday, we may have solid evidence. To date, it hasn't happened.

    Don't let political "interest" make you think something is true (in the actual sense). Catering to constituents is not for anything other than votes.
    Reply
  • Dave
    This is the type of logic that the DOD and AARO use. Seeing is not believing and has no part of reality. Eyewitness testimony by credible people is both wrong and also inaccurate. Believe us say AARO, because hey we would (we mean would we) lie to you? We would (we mean would we) misdirect you? We would (damn it, we mean would we) cover up anything?

    Seriously though bipartisan members of congress are working hard to get the truth revealed to the public. You can trust they will prevail in the end, since this is a bipartisan issue. Do not allow anyone to use doublespeak to tell you what is reality.
    Reply
  • COLGeek
    Dave said:
    This is the type of logic that the DOD and AARO use. Seeing is not believing and has no part of reality. Eyewitness testimony by credible people is both wrong and also inaccurate. Believe us say AARO, because hey we would (we mean would we) lie to you? We would (we mean would we) misdirect you? We would (damn it, we mean would we) cover up anything?

    Seriously though bipartisan members of congress are working hard to get the truth revealed to the public. You can trust they will prevail in the end, since this is a bipartisan issue. Do not allow anyone to use doublespeak to tell you what is reality.
    Good luck with this. Seriously.

    Don't assume the worst of people. No double speak was offered or intended.

    Don't buy into everything people say, especially politicians. If there was something to disclose/share, it would be. What makes you think for a minute something like this could be kept from the public?

    Dave, it seems you will only accept one answer. I ask you to consider there may not be one to satisfy you.
    Reply
  • Unclear Engineer
    If there really were extraterrestrials here that didn't want to be discovered, I think they would have abducted Dave by now to shut him up.

    So, my personal test is that if Dave is still posting here, there aren't any extraterrestrials around to notice.
    Reply
  • Dave
    There is of course the truth. The truth is we are not alone. We are one seed planted in a universe. We are one example of intelligent life. Very credible witnesses many of them military, have seen on a vast number of occasions spacecraft which defy the laws of physics. We have our own spacecraft (the ISS) in orbit. It has been there for decades. It will not be the last spacecraft we build. We will go to other planets in the future. It is in our DNA to explore.

    Intelligent lifeforms observing our world have a better science than us. We have no choice in this matter. The DOD and the AARO do have a choice. They can choose to lie to us, or they can choose the truth.
    Reply
  • Gibsense
    Unclear Engineer said:
    If there really were extraterrestrials here that didn't want to be discovered, I think they would have abducted Dave by now to shut him up.

    So, my personal test is that if Dave is still posting here, there aren't any extraterrestrials around to notice.
    There's still time:oops:

    And, how do you know Dave is Dave:disrelieved:
    Reply
  • Gibsense
    You can have pinhole cameras. You can project images onto a screen. You can produce a 3D hologram. Can we project a 3D hologram at a distance - under the hologram's control? Yeah, it just gets silly.

    Best if we are alone - collective ego - preserve life - very special - must be god - we are the reason - we justify existence -we are great - we are happy - let's discover stuff - the future is us - the universe is ours

    But what if not - they are superior - we are slaves - we are subjects - we are told -we are fearful - we cannot justify our existence - we take our place in the pecking order - we better hide - they will take our stuff - where's the sand? We may get extinct - I can't cope - help - go away
    Reply