What UFO Programs Has the Government Run? Project Blue Book, AATIP & AARO History

The U.S. government's involvement in UFO/UAP research spans over 75 years, with programs ranging from public Air Force projects to classified Pentagon initiatives only recently acknowledged.

Historical Programs (1947-1969)

Project Sign (1947-1949)

2. First official UFO study
3. Concluded some UFOs were interplanetary
4. Report rejected and destroyed by Air Force leadership
5. Replaced due to extraterrestrial hypothesis

Project Grudge (1949-1952)

2. Debunking-focused successor
3. Aimed to explain away all sightings
4. Public relations effort to reduce UFO reports
5. Criticized for poor investigation methods

Project Blue Book (1952-1969)

2. Longest-running public program
3. 12,618 cases investigated
4. 701 remained unexplained
5. Terminated after Condon Report

The Hidden Years (1969-2007)

Despite official claims, evidence suggests continued classified study: 2. Project Moon Dust: Retrieved space debris (possible UFO materials) 2. Operation Blue Fly: Quick reaction teams for anomalous objects 2. DSP Satellite Program: Detected "fastwalkers" in space

Modern Era Programs (2007-Present)

AAWSAP (2007-2012)

Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program 2. $22 million funding via Senator Harry Reid 2. Contracted to Bigelow Aerospace 2. Studied UFOs and paranormal phenomena 2. Produced 38 classified reports

AATIP (2007-2017?)

Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program 2. Led by Luis Elizondo 2. Focused on military UFO encounters 2. Analyzed Navy pilot videos 2. Existence revealed by NY Times in 2017

UAP Task Force (2020-2022)

2. Established by Deputy Secretary of Defense
3. First official acknowledgment since Blue Book
4. Produced June 2021 UAP Report to Congress
5. Confirmed 144 encounters, 1 explained

AARO (2022-Present)

All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office 2. Expanded scope beyond aerial phenomena 2. Congressional mandate with regular reporting 2. Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick first director 2. Investigating current and historical cases

Special Access Programs (SAPs)

Whistleblowers allege additional programs:

Alleged Recovery Programs

2. "The Program": Crash retrieval operations
3. Reverse Engineering: Study of recovered materials
4. Biological Studies: Non-human entity research

Compartmentalized Research

2. Private aerospace contractor involvement
3. "Need to know" basis limiting oversight
4. Congressional members claim exclusion
5. Inspector General investigations ongoing

International Cooperation

Recent developments include: 2. Five Eyes intelligence sharing on UAP 2. NATO working groups established 2. United Nations discussions initiated

Key Revelations

1. Continuous Study: Gap between Blue Book and modern programs likely filled by classified work
2. Private Contractor Role: Most research potentially in corporate facilities
3. Congressional Oversight: Historically limited, now expanding
4. Multi-Domain Focus: Modern programs study air, sea, space phenomena

Current Legislative Actions

UAP Disclosure Act (2023-2024)

2. Eminent domain for recovered materials
3. Review board for declassification
4. Protections for whistleblowers
5. Timeline for public disclosure

Schumer-Rounds Amendment

2. Presidential authority over UAP records
3. Independent review board creation
4. Presumption of disclosure
5. Corporate contractor compliance

What We Don't Know

2. Full scope of Special Access Programs
3. Extent of recovered materials
4. Results of reverse-engineering efforts
5. International program coordination
6. Private contractor holdings

The evolution from Project Sign to AARO represents not just bureaucratic reshuffling, but a fundamental shift in how the U.S. government approaches the phenomenon—from denial and debunking to acknowledgment and investigation.