2023 UFO News Update & Survival Guide

In June of 2023, a former US intelligence and Air Force officer named David Grusch delivered some of the biggest UFO news we’ve seen in history.

In short, Grusch alleges that the United States federal government has been operating a secret unidentified flying object (UFO) retrieval program, and that they are currently in possession of both “non-human” spacecrafts and the bodies of their pilots.

Eager to blow the proverbial whistle, Grusch has embarked on something of a media blitz recently—taking his UFO breaking news to The New York Times, Politico, and The Washington Post before eventually sitting down with NewsNation’s Ross Coulthart. There, he told the investigative journalist that his claims are based on classified documents that he observed during his time in military intelligence

Here’s a brief clip from Grusch’s admittedly shocking interview:

NASA and the United States Department of Defense were of course quick to state that no such evidence existed, nor are they reverse-engineering any alien materials.

At first blush, Grusch’s claims might sound pretty extreme, which is why scholars like Boston University’s Joshua Semeter have cautioned the public to wait for “verifiable evidence” before “evaluating these claims.”

But when you take a closer look at the military’s history with UFOs—including multiple mass encounters with hundreds of eyewitnesses—you begin to realize that perhaps this latest UFO news is just the next step.

As even the circumspect Semeter acknowledges: “David Grusch must be treated as a credible witness, as with the military aviators who have also come forward with eyewitness accounts of anomalous objects.”

Table of Contents

• 01

  World War II's Enigmatic Foo Fighters

• 02

  The 1952 Washington, D.C. Sightings

• 03

  UFO News from the Rendlesham Forest

• 04

  The Phoenix Lights

• 05

  The Nimitz Encounter of 2004

• 06

  The Pentagon Comes Clean in 2020

• 07

  Essential UFO Survival Gear

• 08

  The Truth is Out There

World War II's Enigmatic Foo Fighters

In the dangerous skies of World War II, Allied and Axis pilots encountered a series of mysterious airborne objects that would come to be known as "foo fighters."

The term was coined by US pilots, inspired by a comic strip term for unidentified objects.

Reports of foo fighters first surfaced in 1944, with aviators encountering these inexplicable aerial phenomena during combat missions over Europe and the Pacific.

Interestingly, foo fighters were not exclusive to one side of the conflict. Pilots from various nations, both Allied and Axis powers–including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan–reported sightings of these strange aerial objects. Though there might have been a folkloric explanation for one country, or even one side, spotting airborne anomalies, this global convergence of witness accounts lends startling credibility to the phenomenon.

Rare photo of a foo fighter in action (Image courtesy of History.com)

Plus, foo fighters were confirmed by ground-based radar systems, with multiple operators recording unexplained blips on their screens, corresponding to the presence of these unidentified objects reported by pilots. This radar confirmation adds an additional layer of credibility to the foo fighter phenomenon, making it difficult to dismiss them as mere optical illusions or hallucinations.

But could contemporaneous, secret military projects account for the sightings?

Here, it is important to note that foo fighters exhibited flight characteristics that defied conventional explanations. They were often described as maneuvering without effort–deftly matching the speed and agility of military aircraft.

Along these lines, witnesses reported the objects executing abrupt changes in direction, hovering in mid-air, and accelerating to extraordinary speeds. Technology didn't exist at the time to execute those kinds of maneuvers—and it still doesn't exist today.

Another fascinating aspect of the foo fighters is their lack of aggressive behavior.

Even though they would fly near military aircraft, there are no documented instances of foo fighters engaging in combat or posing a direct threat to pilots. On the whole, they appeared to be inclined to observe rather than engage, leading to speculation about their purpose and origin.

The Mantell Incident

One of the most notable foo fighter encounters is the tragic case of Captain Thomas Mantell in January 1948. While pursuing a UFO described as a "metallic object of tremendous size," Mantell's P-51 Mustang crashed, resulting in his death.

Captain Thomas Mantell (Image courtesy of WKRN)

The 1952 Washington, D.C. Sightings

A few years later, in the summer of 1952, the skies over Washington, D.C. became center stage for a series of documented UFO sighting news that astounded both military personnel and civilians.

During the nights of July 19 and 26 of that year, multiple witnesses—including military personnel, air traffic controllers, and civilians—reported seeing unidentified flying objects over the nation's capital. Indeed, the sheer number of sightings, coupled with the credibility of the witnesses, catapulted the Washington, D.C. UFO news wave into the national spotlight.

(Image courtesy of DCist)

Once again, these sightings weren't merely reported by eyewitnesses. There was also radar confirmation from highly trained air traffic controllers. At Washington National Airport (now Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport), controllers detected unusual blips on their radar screens that corresponded with the visual sightings reported by witnesses.

This radar confirmation provided tangible evidence of unknown objects in the airspace.

Meanwhile, experienced pilots and military personnel stationed at Andrews Air Force Base also reported seeing bright lights, unconventional flight patterns, and objects that appeared to hover and change direction rapidly.

Another curious aspect of this incident was the week's separation between the two clusters of sightings, with the first significant event occurring on the night of July 19, 1952. Then, exactly one week later, on July 26, 1952, the UFO activity in Washington, D.C. continued.

These subsequent sightings prompted a scramble of jet fighters from Andrews Air Force Base to intercept the objects. However, despite their best efforts, the objects swiftly outmaneuvered the jets, further deepening the mystery surrounding the sightings.

Concerned about potential security threats, the Air Force investigated the Washington, D.C. sightings. More specifically, Project Blue Book, the US Air Force's official UFO investigation program, became heavily involved in analyzing the events.

The incidents also increased public interest in UFO news, sparking a national conversation about the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Ultimately, the Air Force attributed the sightings to temperature inversions causing radar anomalies.

They suggested that the radar returns resulted from ground clutter and atmospheric conditions. Needless to say, this explanation did not fully satisfy the witnesses, especially considering the visual sightings reported by credible individuals.

As such, the true nature of the objects observed during the 1952 Washington, D.C. UFO news remains an enigma, leaving lingering questions about their origin and purpose.

UFO News from the Rendlesham Forest

It all started in late December 1980 when security personnel spotted unusual lights descending into the forest, sparking curiosity and concern.

Among those who reported witnessing these extraordinary events in Rendlesham Forest were multiple US Air Force personnel stationed at RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge, located in Suffolk, England. In fact, one of the key witnesses was Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt, the Deputy Base Commander at RAF Bentwaters.

On the night of December 27, Halt led a team to investigate the mysterious lights seen in the forest. During their investigation, he reported encountering a triangular-shaped craft emitting bright lights, which moved silently through the trees. Halt documented his observations in an official memorandum, further adding credibility to the incident.

What's more—there's actual physical evidence.

Rendlesham Forest’s UFO trail (Image courtesy of The Telegraph)

At the site where the craft was seen, indentations were discovered in the ground, suggesting a significant weight had rested there. Moreover, burn marks were found on nearby trees, indicating exposure to intense heat or radiation. These physical traces added hard evidence to support Halt's claims.

Adding to the body of evidence is Lieutenant Colonel Halt’s real-time observations. Audiotaped during his investigation on the second night, the recording captured his reactions to the strange lights and his conversations with fellow personnel.

Capturing the immediacy and authenticity of the experience, the tape has served as an invaluable piece of evidence. In it, Halt first evaluates the landing site, where he and his men detect elevated radiation levels using a Geiger counter. Indeed, the highest levels of radiation are found in the aforementioned indentations in the ground, seemingly indicating that a tripod-like landing device once stood there.

Then, Halt encounters the UFO itself. “Now we’re observing what appears to be a beam coming down to the ground!” the officer remarks in absolute astonishment as a second aerial object appears. “This is unreal…”

Other witnesses to the event included security personnel, air traffic controllers, and fellow high-ranking officers—each of whom corroborated aspects of the encounter, such as the presence of unidentified lights and the triangular craft.

Following the incident, the British Ministry of Defense (MoD) launched an official investigation. In the end, the department concluded that there was no threat to national security, but could not definitively account for the sightings. This lack of a conclusive explanation, of course, left room for speculation, further fueling public interest.

In subsequent years, various experts have attempted to explain what happened in Rendlesham forest on those nights. Some suggest that the sightings resulted from misidentified conventional objects, such as military aircraft or satellites. Others propose more unconventional explanations, including extraterrestrial visitation or advanced military technology.

Despite extensive research and analysis—and despite concrete physical evidence found at the site—the incident remains a subject of debate, with no consensus on the true nature of the events.

The Phoenix Lights

On the evening of March 13, 1997, thousands of witnesses in Phoenix, Arizona observed a series of inexplicable lights illuminating the night sky.

The event unfolded in two distinct phases: a formation of stationary lights seen earlier in the evening, followed by a set of moving lights later that night. Once again, the sheer number of witnesses, including civilians, police officers, and even pilots, make the Phoenix Lights incident one of the most extensively documented sightings in the history of UFO news.

Witnesses initially reported seeing a formation of lights resembling a V-shape or a boomerang suspended in the sky. Described as large, distinct, and evenly spaced, the lights appeared stationary. Confoundingly, their V-shaped formation spanned a significant distance, captivating observers with their size and immobility.

Later in the evening, a second wave of sightings occurred when witnesses reported seeing a set of lights moving together across the sky. These lights were described as individual orbs or lighted objects forming a straight line or an arc. Onlookers further reported that the lights moved smoothly and silently, defying conventional aircraft characteristics.

Among the witnesses watching that night were police officers, pilots, and military personnel, who observed and reported the unusual lights. The diversity and credibility of these witnesses add substantial weight to the significance of the event.

Initially, Luke Air Force Base claimed responsibility for the sightings, suggesting that the flares dropped during military training exercises were the cause. But that didn't satisfy witnesses who had observed the stationary and synchronized movement of the lights. They knew that flares didn't behave like that. Besides, the flares dropped by the military were released at different times and locations.

Despite the initial explanation provided by the military, no definitive official explanation for the Phoenix Lights has been offered to date.

As such, it remains an enduring unsolved mystery–one that has had a profound impact on popular culture, sparking intense public interest in UFO news and leading to further investigations.

Accordingly, it has been featured in documentaries, books, and films, all of which serve to further amplify the event’s mystique.

The incident has also prompted discussions about government transparency and the need for further scientific examination of UFO news.

The Nimitz Encounter of 2004

On November 14, 2004, radar officers on the USS Princeton, a US Navy cruiser, detected an unknown aerial object while conducting training exercises near the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group.

On account of its oval shape, those serving aboard the ship nicknamed the aircraft "Tic-Tac.” Where the analogy ended, however, was the mysterious entity’s size, as it was reported to be approximately forty feet long, without visible wings or exhaust. Multiple Navy pilots, including Commander David Fravor and Lieutenant Commander Jim Slaight, visually tracked the object, witnessing its agile maneuvers and extraordinary speed.

Like other notable UFOs, Tic-Tac displayed flight capabilities that defied conventional explanations.

Other familiar anomalies were reported too, such as its reported ability to hover mid-air, make sudden and precise movements, and accelerate to incredible speeds.

During the encounter, a pilot named Commander Fravor was directed to investigate the object. As he approached, the Tic-Tac UFO reacted to his presence, actively tracking his aircraft's movements. This interaction suggested an awareness and intelligence that added to the intrigue and mystery of the encounter.

By way of evidence, the Nimitz Encounter produced two notable videos: the Gimbal and GoFast footage.

The clips, recorded by US Navy pilots using cutting-edge infrared cameras, captured the Tic-Tac UFO in flight. In this way, the videos provide visual evidence of the object's unconventional shape, rapid movement, and ability to defy known physics. And with official government verification, they're at least as real as the moon landing.

So once again, the Nimitz Encounter provides us with an army of eyewitnesses, concrete footage, and even independent confirmation via radar.

But were there any satisfying answers this time?

Unfortunately not.

Though the Pentagon's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) later officially investigated the incident, their classified reports remain undisclosed. With that said, numerous high-ranking military officials, including former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Christopher Mellon, have acknowledged the legitimacy of the encounter and the need for further investigation.

Leading experts in the field have been only too happy to oblige. Physicist Dr. Hal Puthoff and aerospace engineer Dr. Robert Powell, for example, have conducted in-depth analyses and offered potential explanations. As with Mellon’s mandate, these investigations have emphasized the need for rigorous scientific study to unravel the encounter's mysteries.

The Pentagon Comes Clean in 2020

In April 2020, the US Department of Defense (DoD) released three videos depicting encounters between Navy pilots and unidentified aerial objects.

This collection of footage, known as the "FLIR1," "Gimbal," and "GoFast" videos, was recorded between 2004 and 2015. Raising public awareness and curiosity about the phenomenon, the series’ release provided visual evidence of the extraordinary flight characteristics of UAPs (unidentified anomalous phenomena).

The Navy pilot videos revealed footage from the Nimitz Encounter in 2004 and the Roosevelt Incident 2015–events that involved highly trained military personnel witnessing UFOs exhibiting flight capabilities far beyond any human technology.

The same year that the DoD released the videos, the Pentagon officially confirmed their authenticity–a move that carried significant implications for national security. What’s more, it indicated a shift from mere curiosity to a proactive stance in understanding the origins and capabilities of UFOs.

Alongside this, the DoD acknowledged that the trilogy of videos captured actual encounters between military aircraft and UFOs. This confirmation solidified the credibility of the witnesses and the veracity of the events depicted in the videos.

Later, In December of 2020, the DoD introduced revised reporting procedures for military personnel encountering UFOs.

The updated guidelines aimed to encourage and streamline the reporting process, ensuring that encounters with UAPs were adequately documented and investigated. This proactive approach demonstrated a commitment to systematically understanding and studying the phenomenon.

Essential UFO Survival Gear

Broadly speaking, the evidence points towards a strong likelihood that humanity isn’t alone in the galaxy. If that’s true—and if there really are other forms of life out there—then how can we really prepare?

In other words, what can we really do to prep for the day when UFO/UAP news turns from sightings to stories of actual encounters?

Though the threat that UFOs pose to us remains unknown, we can still make plans to the best of our respective abilities. Preparing for unknown threats, after all, is exactly what MIRA Safety is here for—even if it’s something as extreme as an extraterrestrial encounter. No matter what, there are always basic steps you can take to ensure that yourself and your family stay safe.

For example: remember the scene in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus where the genius scientists all take their space helmets off while in an alien environment?

Yeah.

Don’t do that.

Helmets on in alien spaceships, folks! (Image courtesy of Amazon)

Whether you’re dealing with aliens, terrorists, viruses, or even just inept technicians causing a nuclear meltdown, it remains critical that you never breathe air from an environment that may expose you to unknown/deadly threats.

And make no mistake: encounters with new alien species would pose a massive biological risk. You just have to look to our own history for examples. Shortly after Captain James Cook landed on Hawaii, for instance, the island’s population was nearly wiped out in an epidemic of colonial diseases.

Likewise in North America, where Westerners unknowingly brought deadly pathogens to whole new populations. Though Europeans had long since developed immunities to these kinds of illnesses, the natives weren’t so lucky.

In view of this, you’re going to need a full-face gas mask and a multigas filter that can deal with a wide range of threats while providing maximum biological protection.

First, for the mask, we recommend the CM-7M, a professional-grade mask that’s trusted by the US DoD (which means it may have already been used in alien encounters). Featuring tough butyl rubber construction, an integrated hydration system, and a speech diaphragm, it’s a practical choice for new users and seasoned professionals alike.

To ensure a perfect fit, the CM-7M is available in three different sizes, and it’s compatible with all MIRA Safety gas mask accessories. And the dual eyepiece configuration means you’ll still be able to operate a rifle around aliens. Just saying–that might be useful.

Set alien traps in your CM-7M!

For filters, your top choice is going to be the NBC-77 SOF. We recommend this filter frequently, and with very good reason. Not only can it protect you from virtually every known CBRN threat, it also provides P3 particle protection—the highest available—for protection from alien biological threats.

Note that each filter is individually shrink-wrapped with a twenty-year shelf life, so they’re a great investment even if you’re just getting started. We also recommend adding a pack of P3 Particlemax filters to your inventory for enhanced biological protection.

Top-tier protection

Next, check out the MB-90 Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR). In the event that you’re exposed to biological threats, it’s likely that you’ll be wearing a respirator for long hours. If so, a PAPR will help increase your comfort and flexibility whilst reducing fatigue. You see, the MB-90 integrates a battery-powered blower into your respirator circuit, which takes all the work out of breathing through a gas mask.

The MB-90 PAPR

Here, it’s worth mentioning that you can also mount an MB-90 PAPR on your belt or plate carrier to streamline your kit and reduce additional weight that’s on your mask. It’s a simple improvement that can make a massive difference on your performance while masked up.

Finally, we recommend a Geiger counter. As you may recall, this device was instrumental in Lieutenant Colonel Charles Halt’s investigation of the Rendlesham Forest UFO landing site, allowing him to confirm the recent presence of an unidentified aircraft. This means that, should you ever encounter a similar situation, a dosimeter may prove invaluable in assessing and documenting the facts.

The Truth is Out There

It’s easy to be skeptical about UFO news today if you’re not really paying attention.

But the moment you take a deeper look at the facts, you begin to notice the sheer weight of evidence pointing towards their existence. Much of this evidence is augmented by the credibility of the respective witnesses, which is why, today, we’ve only looked at those UFO encounters that involved the US military.

Yet in each of these encounters, dozens if not hundreds of credible eyewitnesses gave statements. What’s more, independent monitoring devices confirmed what they saw. And in some cases, actual hard evidence—even video—has been preserved afterwards.

As we reflect upon this body of evidence, we can take heart that none of these encounters involve any aggression on the part of the UFOs involved. With that said, even a benevolent encounter could lead to potentially deadly cross-contamination for our species.

So in light of recent UFO news, and the mounting body of evidence, MIRA Safety recommends staying prepared for any eventuality–however alien it may seem.