Official Analysis
In January 2015, a U.S. Navy F/A-18F captured a small object on a forward looking infrared camera off Florida. The video, released publicly in 2020, appeared to show a fast-moving sphere skimming the ocean.
AARO modeled the aircraft path and historical winds to determine the object was about 13 000 ft high and between 5 and 92 mph depending on heading.1 Motion parallax made the object seem rapid at the surface.2 Independent reviews echoed AARO's calculations, including aviation press breakdowns3 and skeptical reconstructions4.
See USS Roosevelt Encounters for the original sightings.
Resolution
On 6 February 2025, AARO published its case report assessing the object showed no anomalous performance. The team could not definitively identify the target but found its movement consistent with a balloon or similar lightweight craft drifting with the wind.1 This high-confidence assessment closed speculation that the clip proved extraordinary technology.