FBI agents reported watching a dark, triangular object hover silently above a mountain ridge before suddenly accelerating at speeds comparable to a fighter jet, according to newly released Department of War documents. The 2026 sighting is one of several incidents described in the records, which examine unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and include decades-old military encounters.
One FBI report describes a nonreflective triangular object resembling a drone, with an estimated wingspan of 9 to 15 feet and no visible exhaust or conventional propulsion system. The agents said the object rose vertically above a ridgeline and then accelerated into a canyon without making a sound. A separate report from the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), which investigates UAP reports, offers a more detailed account of the same type of encounter.
The AARO report describes a matte-black triangular object that climbed about 200 to 300 feet above a ridgeline, hovered for roughly 20 seconds and then appeared to accelerate almost instantly, disappearing into a canyon within two to three seconds. The witnesses saw no engines, rotors, exhaust or other conventional aircraft features. The agents also reported a uniform heat signature across the object's surface through handheld thermal equipment, without the concentrated hot spots usually associated with propulsion systems.
The two accounts differ on key points. The FBI described a sighting lasting about three seconds, while AARO detailed roughly 10 seconds of vertical ascent, 20 seconds of hovering and another two to three seconds of rapid flight. The Pentagon report notes that the object's speed was estimated by witnesses rather than measured by instruments. Neither report identifies the object or establishes its origin.
The release also includes an Air Force intelligence report dated Jan. 19, 1957, describing an unidentified radar contact involving a U.S. B-52 bomber during a Strategic Air Command mission near Saudi Arabia. The bomber was flying at about 39,000 feet when its radar detected a target roughly 6,000 yards away on Jan. 18, 1957. The contact stayed on the radar screen for five to seven minutes before disappearing as the bomber turned left. Air Force investigators noted that no other aircraft were expected in the area but acknowledged the contact may have vanished because of the bomber's change in direction.
Other historical records cover reported sightings near California's Santa Catalina Island. In one case, three Boy Scouts attending summer camp said they saw a silent, silver object moving faster than a conventional jet on June 25, 1952. The scouts claimed the object made a climbing turn before appearing to disintegrate, according to an Air Force intelligence report. Investigators noted the scouts had no instruments to measure its speed or altitude and that their limited experience made it difficult to assess the reliability of their account. A March 15, 1955, report describes a witness near Avalon who saw a bright, round object that changed from orange to red before falling straight down. The Air Force ultimately classified that sighting as a "probable meteor."
The files further include a 60-page investigation conducted in 2010 by Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) at a Utah ranch associated with reports of unexplained phenomena. Investigators interviewed residents who described towering dog-like creatures walking on two legs, mysterious balls of light and other unusual sightings. Other witnesses reported smaller, hairy creatures, a prehistoric-looking bird and a worm allegedly measuring 8 feet long. One witness described a transparent, rippling structure she believed was a portal to another world.
The investigation included eyewitness sketches, surveillance cameras, environmental monitoring and hair samples collected from areas tied to the reported creature sightings. Laboratory testing identified the hair samples as coming from ordinary animals, including domestic dogs and a raccoon. The report did not establish the existence of the alleged creatures or other extraordinary phenomena.
Fox News Digital has contacted AARO for comment on the 2026 sighting, including whether the object has since been identified and whether images released with the FBI report show the actual encounter or are illustrations. The FBI has also been contacted for comment.