Nimitz Intercept
While commanding VFA-41 in 2004, Fravor pursued a white Tic Tac near San Diego. The object outmaneuvered his F/A-18.12
He later compared USS Theodore Roosevelt encounters to his experience, urging improved reporting for pilots.345
Whistleblower status
David Fravor isn't a "whistleblower" in the legal or colloquial sense. He reported the 2004 "Tic Tac" incident through standard military channels at the time, then spoke to the press years later—only after the infrared video of the encounter was already circulating publicly.
Timeline of events
F/A-18F Intercept of Unknown Object
14 November 2004
During a training mission off San Diego, Fravor intercepted a white Tic Tac-shaped object. He filed an after-action report and briefed his chain of command the same day.
Classified Handling of Evidence
2004–2017
Video and radar data from the incident remained within classified networks, occasionally shown in closed briefings. Fravor made no public statements and remained on active duty until his retirement in 2006.
Public Disclosure by the New York Times
December 2017
The New York Times broke the story and published the FLIR-1 ("Tic Tac") video, obtained by Luis Elizondo/TTSA. Fravor agreed to be named and interviewed, confirming the video's authenticity and describing the encounter.
Media Appearances and Congressional Testimony
2019–2023
Fravor appeared on 60 Minutes, Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman, and testified at the House Oversight UAP hearing (26 July 2023), recounting the event and advocating for transparent reporting mechanisms.
Contradictory statements
Pre-flight Silence vs. Post-flight Gossip
10–14 November 2004
CIC supervisor Kevin Day claims he tracked "multiple UNIDs" for two days and was requesting an intercept by 12 Nov, while Cdr Fravor recalls that no one on USS Nimitz discussed odd radar contacts until after Fast Eagle 01/02 landed on 14 Nov, when the crew began joking about "aliens." If radar chatter had circulated earlier, the ship's ready-rooms and mess decks would likely have been abuzz before the intercept.
Who Removed the Recordings?
14 November 2004
FC2 Gary Voorhis reports that two men in green flight suits arrived by SH-60 helicopter, collected the CEC optical disks and SPY-1 backups, and left the same day. In contrast, Cdr Fravor states a junior intel officer briefly took the ATFLIR tapes as a prank, but Fravor retrieved them immediately — no outside team or helicopter involved. Both accounts cannot be true for the same physical tapes.
Radar "Jamming" vs. AARO File
14 November 2004 & 15 January 2024 (AARO release)
Underwood's back-seat operator reports that every APG-73 jam-code illuminated as soon as he locked onto the target. However, the AARO Case #2004-001 declassified summary (15 Jan 2024) states "no electronic-attack strobes recorded ... raw spectrum normal." Either the cockpit display showed a false jam annunciation not recorded in the data, or one of the reports is incorrect.
Length of the FLIR-1 Video
27 April 2020 & 2018
Pentagon release notes (27 Apr 2020) state the FLIR-1 video is 1 min 16 s (the public clip). A Petty Officer quoted in The Intercept (2018) claims the original video was "closer to ten minutes; I watched the whole reel."