{"type":"events","slug":"2022-middle-east-object","title":"Middle East Object (Orb)","url":"https://disclosdex.com/events/2022-middle-east-object","description":"MQ-9 sensor captured silver orb crossing frame, AARO retains case unresolved due to limited data","date":"2022-07-12T00:00:00.000Z","tags":["Sighting"],"updated":"2025-06-13T13:26:43.000Z","disclosureRating":5,"status":"unresolved","connectionCount":1,"content":{"markdown":"## Representative unresolved case\n\nAn MQ-9 remotely-piloted aircraft recorded _24 seconds_ of footage showing a smooth, spherical object darting across its mid-wave infrared sensor field during operations somewhere in the Middle East. No concomitant telemetry, radar, or optical data were available, preventing size, range, or speed estimation.\n\nAARO found no evidence of anomalous motion yet could not identify the source — the clip therefore remains catalogued as unresolved pending additional data.[^1]\n\n[Watch the video on DVIDS](https://www.dvidshub.net/video/880273/middle-east-object)\n\n## Timeline\n\n| Date       | Detail                                                                                                                                | Sources               |\n| ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- |\n| 2022-07-12 | MQ-9 Reaper over Deir ez-Zor records 24-second MWIR clip of a metallic sphere during Eid al-Adha operations; no corroborating sensors | DoD video[^1]         |\n| 2023-04-19 | AARO director Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick screens clip at Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on UAP; DoD publishes footage           | Senate transcript[^2] |\n| 2023-04-19 | Defense Media Activity posts \"Middle East Object\" footage on DVIDS, classifying case as unresolved                                    | DVIDS release[^1]     |\n| 2023-05-31 | NASA independent UAP study public meeting references orb and reviews clip                                                             | NASA advisory[^3]     |\n| 2023-10-24 | Bellingcat analysts geolocate video to 35.37° N 40.33° E, propose foil-balloon hypothesis                                             | Bellingcat report[^4] |\n| 2023-10-26 | Newsweek summarizes Bellingcat findings, expanding public awareness                                                                   | Newsweek article[^5]  |\n\n### Notable contributors\n\n| Contributor(s)                            | Role/Contribution                                                         |\n| ----------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |\n| Dr. Sean M. Kirkpatrick                   | AARO director, publicly presented the footage and maintains the case file |\n| Nathan Patin, Logan Williams, Timmi Allen | Bellingcat researchers, geolocated and analyzed the object                |\n| Dan Evans, Abbey A. Donaldson             | NASA facilitators for the 2023 public UAP meeting                         |\n| Unidentified MQ-9 aircrew                 | Original witnesses whose report initiated the case                        |\n\n[^1]: [AARO Official UAP Imagery – Middle East Object](https://www.dvidshub.net/video/880273/middle-east-object)\n\n[^2]: [Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on AARO, 19 Apr 2023](https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/23-31_04-19-2023.pdf)\n\n[^3]: [NASA UAP public meeting page](https://science.nasa.gov/uap/); [NASA meeting recording](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQo08JRY0iM)\n\n[^4]: [Bellingcat – Isn't That A Balloon? Deflating a DoD UFO Video](https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2023/10/24/isnt-that-a-balloon-deflating-a-dod-ufo-video/)\n\n[^5]: [Newsweek – Mystery Behind 'Pentagon UFO Video' Appears to Have Been Solved](https://www.newsweek.com/mystery-pentagon-ufo-video-solved-1838198)","readingTime":"2 min read"},"relatedRecords":[{"ref":{"type":"locations","slug":"gulf-of-aden","title":"Gulf of Aden","url":"https://disclosdex.com/locations/gulf-of-aden"},"direction":"inbound","weight":2}],"citation":{"canonicalUrl":"https://disclosdex.com/events/2022-middle-east-object","title":"Middle East Object (Orb)","publisher":"Disclosdex","retrievedFrom":"https://disclosdex.com/api/v1/events/2022-middle-east-object","license":"CC-BY-4.0"},"evidence":["Video"]}