War.gov/UFO: Complete Guide to the PURSUE Release 01, 02, and 03 Files
On May 8, 2026, the United States government launched the public PURSUE archive for UAP (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) records through War.gov/UFO. On May 22, 2026, the Department of War published Release 02. On June 12, 2026, the Department published Release 03.
This guide now covers the first three PURSUE batches: what changed, which agencies are represented, and where to start if you want the primary records rather than headlines.
What Is PURSUE?
PURSUE is a federal program mandated by executive directive to systematically declassify and publicly release government-held records related to UAP encounters. Unlike previous piecemeal disclosures through FOIA requests or congressional pressure, PURSUE represents a coordinated, multi-agency effort to release files in organized batches.
The first batch, published on May 8, 2026, includes materials from:
- Department of War (DOW) — 41 military encounter files
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) — 22 case files and photo evidence
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) — 12 mission records
- National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) — 12 historical documents
- Department of State (DOS) — 2 diplomatic cables
- Other sources — 37 additional records including witness statements
The second batch, published on May 22, 2026, adds 64 indexed records:
- Department of War (DOW) — 51 additional video records and the Sandia Base historical file
- NASA — 7 audio records from Apollo, Mercury, and early crewed spaceflight contexts
- Department of Energy (DOE) — PANTEX imagery, James Tuck correspondence, and Pajarito astronomers material
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) — a 1973 USSR intelligence information report
- Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) — a senior U.S. intelligence-community narrative record
The third batch, published on June 12, 2026, adds 72 indexed records:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) — modern orb-sighting interviews, Colorado Springs material, Western U.S. event renderings, and older field-office records
- Department of War (DOW) — AARO case analysis, Western U.S. narratives, historical military UFO studies, and nine videos
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) — historical intelligence files, Project Blue Book material, foreign sightings, and international UFO studies
- NASA — Gemini-era crew and experiment debriefings
- Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) — Colorado Springs incident analysis
- U.S. Government / other — Congress-White House UFO correspondence
For focused breakdowns, read our Release 02 analysis and Release 03 analysis.
Navigating War.gov/UFO
The official government portal at war.gov/UFO organizes files into downloadable packages. However, many users have reported difficulty navigating the site due to:
- Inconsistent file naming conventions
- Large file sizes (some PDFs exceed 100 MB)
- Limited search and filtering capabilities
- No contextual analysis or cross-referencing
This guide - and our complete document database - addresses these gaps by providing structured metadata, summaries, and cross-references for the indexed release files.
Release 01 Baseline: File Breakdown by Agency
The following section describes the original May 8 baseline release. Later batches add new agencies, updated case material, and follow-up records.
Department of War (DOW) — 41 Files
The Department of War contributed the largest share of the PURSUE release, primarily consisting of military encounter documentation from active duty personnel.
Mission Reports (25 files)
These are standardized military reports documenting UAP encounters during operational missions. Each report typically includes:
- Date, time, and geographic coordinates
- Aircraft type and mission context
- Sensor data (radar, infrared, electro-optical)
- Object characteristics (size, speed, behavior)
- Commander’s assessment
Geographic coverage spans:
| Region | Number of Reports | Time Period |
|---|---|---|
| Arabian Gulf / Persian Gulf | 8 | 2020 |
| Syria | 5 | 2016–2024 |
| Iraq | 3 | 2022 |
| United Arab Emirates | 3 | 2023–2024 |
| Greece | 3 | 2023–2024 |
| Strait of Hormuz | 2 | 2020 |
| Gulf of Aden | 2 | 2020–2024 |
| East China Sea | 1 | 2024 |
| Iran | 1 | 2020 |
| Djibouti | 1 | 2025 |
| Mediterranean Sea | 1 | Unknown |
Notable mission reports include:
-
DOW-UAP-D55: A P-8A maritime patrol aircraft observed an unidentified low-flying object 55 nautical miles northwest of Latakia, Syria on November 18, 2016. The object was detected via EO/IR sensor traveling at approximately 500 knots and was observed passing between Russian naval vessels. Read full analysis →
-
DOW-UAP-D10: A mission report from the Middle East in May 2022 documenting an unresolved UAP encounter with accompanying video evidence. View document →
Range Fouler Debriefs (5 files)
“Range Fouler” is military terminology for an unidentified object that enters a controlled airspace or weapons range. These debrief forms are standardized and include detailed fields for:
- Object detection method (visual, radar, infrared)
- Object behavior (hovering, accelerating, descending)
- Duration of encounter
- Any evasive actions taken by military aircraft
The Range Fouler debriefs cover encounters in the Middle East (May 2020), Japan (2023), Arabian Sea (August and October 2020).
Video Evidence (28 files)
Perhaps the most significant portion of the DOW release: 28 video recordings from military sensors and cameras, designated as “PR” (presumably “Public Release”) files:
| Video ID | Location | Date | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| PR19 | Middle East | May 2022 | 6.5 MB |
| PR21 | Iraq | May 2022 | 12.2 MB |
| PR22 | Syria | July 2022 | 3.8 MB |
| PR23 | Iraq | December 2022 | 5.1 MB |
| PR26 | UAE | October 2023 | 26.2 MB |
| PR27 | UAE | October 2023 | 148.7 MB |
| PR28 | Greece | January 2024 | 15.3 MB |
| PR29 | UAE | June 2024 | 14.7 MB |
| PR34 | Greece | October 2023 | 189.1 MB |
| PR36 | Middle East | May 2020 | 136.1 MB |
| PR42 | Middle East | 2020 | 262.0 MB |
| PR49 | Dept. of the Army | 2026 | 16.5 MB |
The largest file, PR42, is a 262 MB recording from a Middle East encounter in 2020. PR49, the most recent, is a 2026 Department of the Army recording — making it the newest military UAP footage ever publicly released.
Other DOW Files
- Email correspondence: Internal communications from INDOPACOM (April 2025), Pacific Time Zone (March 2023), and other commands
- Launch summary: A February 2000 document
- Historical report: A September 1996 report predating the modern UAP awareness era
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) — 22 Files
The FBI’s contribution focuses on two major evidence categories and one extensive case file.
FLIR/Sensor Imagery — Series A (8 files)
Eight infrared sensor images with significant redactions (black bars obscuring portions of the imagery). These appear to be forward-looking infrared (FLIR) captures, consistent with aerial surveillance equipment. The heavy redaction suggests classified sensor capabilities or operational details remain protected.
Physical Evidence Photographs — Series B (24 files)
Twenty-four high-resolution photographs of physical evidence. These represent some of the most detailed photographic records in the release, showing objects and materials collected during FBI investigations. The resolution and detail in these images suggest professional forensic documentation.
Case File 62-HQ-83894
This is the centerpiece of the FBI’s release: a multi-section case file spanning decades of investigation. The file is organized into:
- 10 sections of investigative records
- Multiple serial numbers (130, 153, 164, 220, 403, 438, 449)
- Sub-file A containing additional materials
- 3 large PDFs (each exceeding 100 MB)
The serial numbering system indicates this case file has been active and continuously updated over many years, with each serial representing a significant addition to the investigation.
NASA — 12 Files
NASA’s contribution spans the Apollo and Skylab programs of the 1960s and 1970s, plus one audio recording from the earlier Gemini program.
Apollo Mission Records
| Mission | Document Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Apollo 11 | Technical Crew Debriefing | 1969 |
| Apollo 12 | Communications Transcript | 1969 |
| Apollo 12 | Visual Media (6 images) | 1969 |
| Apollo 17 | Communications Transcript | 1972 |
| Apollo 17 | Crew Debriefing for Science | 1973 |
| Apollo 17 | Technical Crew Debriefing | 1973 |
The Apollo 12 visual media is particularly noteworthy — six high-resolution images (each 2+ MB) from the lunar surface that have been flagged as containing anomalous features. These were captured during the second crewed lunar landing on November 19, 1969.
The crew debriefings contain astronaut descriptions of observed phenomena during their missions, recorded shortly after splashdown when memories were fresh and detailed.
Skylab and Gemini
- Skylab Technical Crew Debriefing (1973): Post-mission debriefing from America’s first space station
- Gemini 12 Audio (December 5, 1965): Audio recording from low Earth orbit during the final mission of the Gemini program
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) — 12 Files
NARA’s records provide crucial historical context, reaching back to the 1940s:
- General Records 1946-47, Volume 2: Post-WWII era intelligence records
- General Records 1948, Volume 1: Records from the year of the first major UFO wave
- Intelligence Collection Records 1948-1955: Systematic intelligence gathering on aerial phenomena
- Incident Summaries 1-233: Detailed summaries of 233 reported incidents, organized across three volumes
- Flying Discs Records 1949: Period-specific documentation using contemporary terminology
- German Armament Documents 1944-45: WWII-era records potentially linking German advanced weapons programs to post-war UFO sightings
- Numerical File 5-2500: Additional archival records
The NARA files establish that U.S. government interest in unidentified aerial phenomena extends back to at least 1944, with systematic investigation beginning in the immediate post-war period.
Department of State (DOS) — 2 Files
Two diplomatic cables from overseas posts:
- Papua New Guinea Cable (January 1985): A diplomatic communication from the U.S. Embassy reporting UAP-related information from the South Pacific
- Kazakhstan Cable (January 1994): Post-Soviet era diplomatic reporting on UAP activity in Central Asia
These cables demonstrate that UAP reporting extended beyond military channels into diplomatic communications, suggesting the State Department maintained awareness of global UAP activity.
View State Department cables →
Special Files
Several files fall outside standard agency classifications:
-
“Orbs Launching Orbs” (May 8, 2026): Federal law enforcement special agents independently observed orange “orbs” in the sky that launched smaller red orbs. This occurred in the Western United States at dusk on at least five occasions. Read analysis →
-
Composite Sketch (April 30, 2024): An artist’s rendering based on witness descriptions
-
USPER Statement (Redacted): A U.S. person’s statement with significant redactions
-
France UFO & Defense: An international perspective on UAP from French military sources
How This Release Compares to Previous Disclosures
| Disclosure Event | Year | Files Released | Agencies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Blue Book Archive | 1970 (gradual) | ~12,000+ | USAF |
| CIA FOIA Release | 1978–ongoing | ~2,700 | CIA |
| UK Ministry of Defence | 2008–2013 | ~8,500 | UK MoD |
| AATIP/UAPTF Videos | 2017–2021 | 3 videos | DoD |
| PURSUE Batch 1 | 2026 | 162 | 5 agencies |
| PURSUE Release 02 | 2026 | 64 indexed records | DOW, NASA, DOE, CIA, ODNI |
| PURSUE Release 03 | 2026 | 72 indexed records | FBI, DOW, CIA, NASA, ICA, other U.S. Government |
While PURSUE has fewer total files than some older bulk releases, it stands apart in four ways:
- Multi-agency coordination: Multiple federal agencies and source groups are represented across the first three batches
- Video and audio evidence: The archive includes military sensor video, NASA audio, public videos, PDFs, and images
- Recency: Includes files as recent as 2026, unlike previous releases that focused on decades-old records
- Case updates: Release 03 adds follow-up analysis and supporting material for previously visible cases, including the Western U.S. orb event
What Comes Next?
The June 12, 2026 Release 03 publication confirms that PURSUE is operating as a rolling release program rather than a one-time archive drop. The Department of War says additional files are still being prepared. Key indicators now suggest:
- Additional batches may include more files from intelligence and defense agencies
- Congressional pressure continues for records related to crash retrieval programs
- The AARO (All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office) backlog of cases may be incorporated
- International partner nations may contribute their own declassified records
- Existing public cases may receive follow-up records, technical context, or revised analysis
How to Use Our Database
Our Document Database provides tools the official war.gov site lacks:
- Search: Find any document by title, agency, location, or year
- Filter: Sort by release, agency (DOW, FBI, NASA, DOE, CIA, ODNI, NARA, DOS), file type, year, or category
- Timeline: View all documents chronologically on our interactive timeline
- Cross-reference: Each document page links to related files
- Direct media access: View images, play videos, listen to audio, and download PDFs directly
The first three PURSUE batches have been cataloged with structured metadata, making it easy to research specific topics, time periods, geographic regions, and release batches.
This article is maintained by the UFO Declassified research team and updated as new information becomes available. Last updated: June 15, 2026.