UFO / UAP Sightings 2018–2022: The Dawn of Official Disclosure
The years 2018 to 2022 represent one of the most important turning points in modern UFO/UAP history. During this period, the topic moved from the fringes of conspiracy theories into mainstream government acknowledgment. The U.S. Navy officially released compelling videos, the Pentagon created dedicated task forces, and Congress began holding public hearings. For the first time in decades, serious discussion about Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) took place at the highest levels of government.
This article provides a detailed timeline and analysis of the key events, reports, and sightings between 2018 and 2022 that helped spark the current era of UAP transparency. For broader context on possible explanations, see our page on The Main Theories Behind UFOs.
March 13, 2018 — Space Force First Announced
President Donald Trump publicly announced the idea of creating a new branch of the U.S. military dedicated to space during a speech at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California.
Trump stated: “We are going to have a Space Force.” This was the first official public announcement of what would eventually become the sixth branch of the United States Armed Forces.
The announcement came at a time of increasing interest in space as a domain of warfare and coincided with growing reports of unidentified aerial phenomena being tracked in and near Earth’s atmosphere.
Why 2018–2022 Matters
Prior to 2017, most UFO discussions were dismissed by mainstream media and government officials. That changed dramatically when the New York Times revealed the existence of a secret Pentagon program (AATIP) in December 2017. The momentum continued into 2018–2022 as more videos, whistleblower accounts, and official reports surfaced. This five-year window laid the foundation for today’s more open conversation about UAP.
2018–2019: The Navy Videos Go Public
In 2019, the U.S. Navy confirmed the authenticity of three now-famous videos showing encounters between Navy pilots and unidentified objects. These videos — commonly known as “FLIR” (Tic Tac), “Gimbal,” and “GoFast” — quickly went viral and brought UAP into public discourse.
The FLIR video, recorded in 2004 off California, shows the now-iconic white “Tic Tac” object. Pilots like Commander David Fravor described objects with no visible propulsion that demonstrated incredible speed and maneuverability. The Gimbal and GoFast videos, recorded in 2015 off the East Coast, showed additional anomalous objects rotating and moving against strong winds.
These releases were significant because they came with official Pentagon confirmation rather than leaked footage. Multiple trained pilots provided corroborating eyewitness testimony, and the objects exhibited flight characteristics beyond known technology at the time.
December 20, 2019 — U.S. Space Force Officially Established
President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law, officially establishing the **United States Space Force** as the sixth branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.
This marked the first new branch of the U.S. military since the creation of the Air Force in 1947. The Space Force was tasked with organizing, training, and equipping space forces, as well as protecting U.S. interests in space — including monitoring and responding to anomalous aerial phenomena.
The creation of the Space Force occurred during a period of heightened UAP activity and increasing government interest in unidentified objects in airspace and near-Earth orbit.
2020: Continued Military Encounters and Growing Interest
Throughout 2020, reports of UAP encounters by military personnel continued to surface. Several incidents involved Navy ships off the California coast, including the USS Omaha spherical object video (later released in 2021), which appeared to show an object entering the ocean.
During this period, the Department of Defense quietly began improving its reporting mechanisms for pilots and service members who encountered anomalous objects. This increased reporting laid the groundwork for the major assessments that followed.
2021: The ODNI Preliminary Assessment
One of the most pivotal moments came on June 25, 2021, when the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) released its Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena.
Key findings from the report:
- Analysis of 144 UAP reports collected between 2004 and 2021
- Only one case could be identified with high confidence (a large deflating balloon)
- 18 incidents showed unusual flight characteristics or advanced technology
- Many cases involved multiple sensors (radar, infrared, visual)
- UAP posed potential flight safety and national security concerns
The report did not conclude that any UAP were extraterrestrial, but it openly admitted that most cases remained unexplained. This marked a dramatic shift in official tone — from outright denial to cautious acknowledgment that something unusual was occurring.
2021–2022: Congressional Hearings and Increased Transparency
Public and congressional interest surged after the 2021 report. In May 2022, the House Intelligence Committee held the first public congressional hearing on UAP since the 1960s.
High-ranking officials, including Pentagon and intelligence community representatives, testified about the need for better data collection and analysis. Several pilots shared their experiences, describing objects that appeared to defy the laws of physics.
Other Notable Sightings and Trends (2018–2022)
Beyond the well-known Navy cases, this period saw numerous additional reports:
- Increased sightings near military training ranges and sensitive airspace
- Multiple transmedium objects (capable of moving between air and water)
- Rising number of civilian and commercial pilot reports
- Growing international interest, with other nations beginning to share data
Creation of New Government Offices
The period 2018–2022 also saw the establishment of several official UAP investigation bodies:
- Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF)
- Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG)
- All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) — established in 2022
These offices were tasked with collecting, analyzing, and reporting on UAP encounters across air, sea, and space domains. See our dedicated page on the Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) for later developments.
Impact on Public Perception and Science
The official disclosures between 2018 and 2022 fundamentally changed how the public and scientific community view the UAP topic. What was once ridiculed became a legitimate subject for scientific inquiry and national security discussion. NASA even formed its own independent UAP study team during this era.
However, challenges remain. Limited high-quality data, sensor limitations, and classification issues continue to make full understanding difficult. For more on the push for transparency, see our Full Disclosure Movement page.
Conclusion: A New Era of UAP Awareness
The years 2018–2022 transformed the UFO/UAP conversation from “Do they exist?” to “What are they, and what do they mean for aviation safety and national security?” While many questions remain unanswered, the increased transparency has encouraged more pilots and witnesses to come forward.
This period will likely be remembered as the beginning of serious, science-based investigation into Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. For a curated selection of the strongest cases from this era and beyond, see our Top 10 Most Credible UFO Sightings.
Have you witnessed a UAP between 2018 and 2022 — or any other year? Submit your detailed sighting report on UFO-Reports.com. Your experience helps build the public record and contributes to greater understanding of this fascinating phenomenon.
This article is for informational and educational purposes. All information is based on official government reports and credible public sources. Most UAP reports ultimately receive conventional explanations, but a small percentage remain unexplained after thorough investigation.