CENTCOM UAP Report, Middle East (2022) – PURSUE Files
| Middle East 2022 report | |
| Date | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Location | Middle East (not specified) |
| Reported by | U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) |
| Sensor | Electro-optical + infrared |
| Released | Sept. 18, 2026 (PURSUE Release 06) |
| Files | DOW-UAP-D109, PR140, PR141 |
| Previously public? | No — new in this release |
| Official releaseUnresolved | |
CENTCOM reported this UAP to AARO with two videos and a mission report. A Mission Report (MISREP) is the standard form U.S. forces use to record what happened on a mission; its free-text “GENTEXT” section is where crews describe anything unusual, and it is a common way UAP reports reach the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). The video descriptions quote the report as describing the UAP “traveling at various speeds between 80-180 miles per hour.”[1]
The videos
DOW-UAP-PR140, Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, 2022 — official upload on DVIDS (public domain).
DOW-UAP-PR141, Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, 2022 (split IR / visible view) — official upload on DVIDS (public domain).
In PR140 (1 min 47 s) the operator switches back and forth between electro-optical (visible) and infrared modes while tracking a single object. PR141 (2 min 36 s) shows the infrared and visible feeds side by side; a second object briefly appears at about 0:52, and the sensor intermittently loses contact near the end.[1]
Analysis
Possible explanations. Having the same object in visible and infrared views is useful: a balloon, bird or drone often looks quite different in each mode, so independent analysts may be able to narrow this one down. At 80–180 mph the reported speed range fits small drones, birds, or a balloon seen from a fast-moving aircraft.[2]
About the speeds. A single infrared or camera sensor cannot measure distance by itself. Speed estimates like these usually come from how fast the object crosses the screen combined with a guess about its range and size. If the object is closer and smaller than assumed, it is also much slower; this parallax effect is why AARO has resolved many similar “fast” objects as balloons, birds or small drones.[2] AARO’s own description warns that the operator’s wording “reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time.”[1]
Data note. The official description of the mission report (D109) repeats the “six small spherical objects… 480 mph” wording from the separate 2025 case (D108), while the video descriptions say 80–180 mph. This looks like a copy error in the official database; check the PDF itself for the original wording.[1]
New or previously released? New.
Released files
| PURSUE ID | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| DOW-UAP-PR140 | Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, 2022 | Video (DVIDS) |
| DOW-UAP-PR141 | Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, 2022 | Video (DVIDS) |
| DOW-UAP-D109 | Mission Report, Middle East, 2022 |
See also
References
- ^ U.S. Department of War (2026). PURSUE Release 06 files and official descriptions. war.gov/ufo.
- ^ All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, Consolidated Annual Reports on UAP (2023–2025), discussion of resolved cases (balloons, birds, UAS) and sensor/parallax effects.