Background
About Black Vault - UFO Reports
Black Vault is a free repository of over 3 million pages of government documents. They use the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to submit requests for the U.S. federal government to release classified files on UFO encounters as well as the U.S. government as a whole. They also conduct case studies on UFO sightings and encounters.
About FOIA
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was put into effect in July 1967. It requires the full or partial disclosure of previously unreleased information and documents controlled by the United States government upon request. This could include emails, reports, investigations, and other documents the government has not released to the public. The documents are redacted to protect classified, national security information as well as personal information from the individuals involved.
Event Timeline
2015
An F-18 pilot spots a UFO while conducting COMPTUEX training. He originally thought it was a simulated aircraft for the training, and locked onto the object.
The exact date he encountered the UFO is not specified. The location of the encounter is believed to be somewhere off the coast of Florida, near Jacksonville.
COMPTUEX training, or Composite Training Unit Exercise, is a rehearsal each US Navy carrier strike group performs before departing for deployment.
December 2017
The New York Times releases a video captured by the unnamed pilot.
January 2019
The pilot participates in a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) briefing with members of Congress and their staffers, also called professional staff members (PSM).
November 2021
The Black Vault submits a FOIA request for all documents related to the Senate briefing and the pilot's testimony in that briefing.
April 2022
The Navy finally responds to the FOIA request. They only provided one four-page document that was "responsive to [Black Vault's] request."
Many parts of the briefing are redacted, including a large paragraph describing the encounter.
