DOW-UAP-D055, Mission Report, Syria, November 2016
▮ AI SYNOPSIS · Sonnet 4.6
DOW-UAP-D055 is a one-page mission report dated November 18, 2016, produced under USCENTCOM CTG 67.1 and declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison. It documents an observation by a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft operating over the Eastern Mediterranean. At approximately 1310Z, the P-8A crew detected via EO/IR sensor an unidentified low-flying object 55 nautical miles northwest of Latakia, Syria, traveling at roughly 500 knots on a southeasterly heading in apparent sea-skim mode. Contact was lost two minutes later near 40 NM northwest of Latakia. Russian naval vessels, including the INGUL ARS, were in the vicinity.
The report's mission commander assessed the interaction as safe and characterized the object as likely a missile consistent with the activity of the associated Carrier Task Group (KCTG), making this primarily a tactical incident report rather than an unexplained phenomenon file. It was nonetheless released under the PURSUE UAP program. A redacted video link and coordinates are present, and sections citing exemption 1.4a obscure specific location data. The document was approved for release to AARO on March 27, 2026.
▮ TOP WORDS IN THIS DOCUMENT
Redactions present in this record. Black bars protect identities of eyewitnesses, locations of facilities, or non-UAP-related sensitive material.
This document is a mission briefing summarizing an observation of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) by a U.S. military platform near Latakia, Syria.
A U.S. military pilot flying a P-8A aircraft reported observing an object via the aircraft’s EO/IR sensor, which they characterized as appearing to be in “sea skim mode,” traveling at approximately 500 knots (575 mph) on a southeasterly heading. The P-8A lost visual contact with the object after two minutes.
All descriptive and estimative language contained in this report reflects the reporter’s subjective interpretation at the time of the event. Such characterizations should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics.
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Declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison
USCENTCOM Chief of Staff
Declassified on: 20 M
67.1 P-8A OBSERVES UNIDENTIFIED LOW-FLYING OBJECT 55 NM
NORTHWEST OF LATAKIA, SYRIA
18 NOV 2016
FLIGHT PATH
BLUE: While monitoring KCTG activity in the Eastern
Mediterranean, P-8A, observed an unidentified low-flying
object 55 mm northwest of Latakia from an unknown
origin, traveling at approx 500KTS on a southeasterly
heading outbound from KCTG, for ~2 minutes.
Timeline (Z):
-18/1310Z: P-8 observed a possible missile launch
IVO
1.4a
I from an origin unknown detected via
the EO/IR sensor. The possible missile appeared to be in
sea skim mode traveling at approximately 500KTS on a
southeasterly heading outbound from KCTG. P-8 position
was 26NM S of object detection at 16121 FT|
1.4a
718/1312Z: - P-8 lost visual of the object IVO
approx. 40 NM northwest of Latakia. The
missile was observed to pass between (RUS) INGUL ARS
and 1x U/i vessel.
Weather:
(U) P-8 aircrew characterized visibility as clear, no range
limitations.
THUS UDALOY QD.519
(BUS/HUZNET SOVEN 063 (RUS) CHILDRIN AOR
TRUSY KALININGRADNEET AG
(RUS, INGLE ARS
(RUS) HIROV CON 099
1
KTG
1310Z:
1.4a
26 NM
-1312Z:
1.4a
U/I OBJ
(RUS) INGUL ARS
U/I VESSEL
US P-8A Location
1310Z:
1.4a
CTG 67.1 Comments: The mission commander for P-8 characterized the interaction as safe. While this was the first observed occurrence of
possible missile activity by P-8 aircraft in the Eastern Mediterranean it is assessed to be standard activity consistent with the assessed activity of
the KCTG. Video footage can be found at this link:
(b)(6)
USCENTCOM MDR 26-0038 to MDR 26-0046
Approved for Release to AARO
03/27/26 000001