CENTCOM UAP Report, Iraq (2022) – PURSUE Files
| Iraq 2022 report | |
| Date | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Location | Iraq |
| Reported by | U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) |
| Sensor | Infrared, U.S. military platform |
| Released | Sept. 18, 2026 (PURSUE Release 06) |
| Files | DOW-UAP-D106, PR130, PR131 |
| Previously public? | No — new in this release |
| Official releaseUnresolved | |
In 2022 U.S. Central Command reported a UAP over Iraq to AARO. 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 operator described objects “flying sporadically within the target area… at various speeds between 80 and 180 miles per hour,” estimated them at 1 to 2 meters (3–6 ft) across, and could not determine their altitude.[1]
The images
Two infrared still frames were released (PR130 and PR131, linked below). Each shows a bright spot near the center of the sensor display and a second, elongated spot with a visible trail, suggesting movement from top right to bottom left. AARO notes the trail “is consistent with known image-compression and processing effects and does not necessarily represent a physical feature.”[1]
Analysis
Possible explanations. An object 1–2 m across moving erratically at 80–180 mph over an active military area fits a small drone (common in Iraq since the mid-2010s) or possibly a bird, if the size and speed estimates are off. Nothing in the released material rules these out, and nothing confirms them.
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]
New or previously released? New. We found no earlier public release of this report or these images.
Released files
| PURSUE ID | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|
| DOW-UAP-D106 | Mission Report, Iraq, 2022 | |
| DOW-UAP-PR130 | Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, 2022 (IR still) | Image (PDF) |
| DOW-UAP-PR131 | Unresolved UAP Report, Iraq, 2022 (IR still) | Image (PDF) |
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.