Summary

In July 2019, the USS Kidd (DDG-100) and several other U.S. Navy destroyers experienced unprecedented swarm encounters with unidentified aerial phenomena near the Channel Islands off Southern California. Over multiple nights, groups of unknown objects, initially termed “drones” in ship logs, demonstrated extraordinary capabilities including extended flight duration, immunity to counter-drone measures, and coordinated behavior. The objects operated for hours in challenging wind conditions, far exceeding the capabilities of known commercial drones. Despite extensive investigations involving the FBI, Coast Guard, and other agencies, no origin was ever determined. These incidents, occurring simultaneously with the USS Omaha encounters, represent one of the most significant mass UAP events in modern naval history.

The Ships Involved

Primary Vessels

Destroyers affected:

  • USS Kidd (DDG-100)
  • USS Rafael Peralta (DDG-115)
  • USS Russell (DDG-59)
  • USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60)
  • USS John Finn (DDG-113)
  • Other vessels in vicinity

Location and Context

July 2019 operations:

  • Channel Islands area
  • Restricted naval waters
  • Training exercises ongoing
  • Standard deployments
  • High security zone

Initial Encounters

July 14, 2019

First reported swarm:

  • Evening hours
  • Multiple objects detected
  • Approached USS Kidd
  • Extended duration
  • Crew alerts issued

Ship Log Entries

Official documentation noted:

  • “Drones” terminology used
  • Multiple contacts
  • Hours of activity
  • Evasion attempts
  • Command notification

Object Characteristics

Observed Behavior

Witnesses reported:

  • Coordinated movements
  • Extended hovering
  • High wind resistance
  • Bright lights
  • Various altitudes
  • Silent operation

Performance Anomalies

Beyond conventional drones:

  • 90+ minute flights
  • 40+ knot wind conditions
  • Long distance from land
  • No observable operators
  • Advanced maneuvers

Swarm Patterns

Coordinated Activity

Objects demonstrated:

  • Formation flying
  • Simultaneous approaches
  • Distributed coverage
  • Return visits
  • Intelligent behavior

Numbers and Duration

Encounters involved:

  • 2-6 objects typically
  • Hours-long presence
  • Multiple ships simultaneously
  • Consecutive nights
  • Persistent returns

Counter-Measures Attempted

Ship Responses

Crews attempted:

  • Maneuvering to evade
  • Counter-UAS procedures
  • Electronic measures
  • Visual tracking
  • Communication attempts

Ineffective Results

Standard procedures failed:

  • Objects unaffected
  • Continued operations
  • No communication response
  • Maintained presence
  • Immunity demonstrated

Investigation Launch

Multi-Agency Response

Immediate involvement of:

  • Navy intelligence
  • FBI investigation
  • Coast Guard assets
  • NCIS resources
  • Joint analysis

Search Operations

Extensive efforts included:

  • Coastal searches
  • Vessel inspections
  • Database reviews
  • Intelligence gathering
  • Origin tracking

Technical Analysis

Endurance Calculations

Flight times suggested:

  • Advanced battery technology
  • Or unknown power source
  • Beyond commercial capability
  • Military-grade endurance
  • Unexplained duration

Environmental Factors

Objects operated despite:

  • High winds
  • Ocean conditions
  • Night operations
  • Distance from shore
  • Challenging environment

Simultaneous Events

USS Omaha Connection

Same timeframe:

  • Pyramid UAPs
  • Trans-medium objects
  • Fleet-wide phenomenon
  • Pattern emergence
  • Coordinated events?

Regional Activity

Broader pattern:

  • Multiple ship types
  • Various object shapes
  • Consistent area
  • Sustained presence
  • Strategic significance

Documentation

Ship Logs

Detailed records of:

  • Times and dates
  • Object numbers
  • Crew observations
  • Response actions
  • Duration tracking

Deck Logs Released

FOIA revealed:

  • Official entries
  • “Drone” designation
  • Command awareness
  • Investigation notes
  • Pattern documentation

Theories Examined

Commercial Drones

Investigated but eliminated:

  • Range impossible
  • Endurance exceeded
  • Weather limitations
  • No operators found
  • Technology mismatch

Foreign Adversary

Considered possibilities:

  • Chinese technology
  • Russian operations
  • Iranian capability
  • North Korean involvement

All deemed unlikely:

  • Technology too advanced
  • Risk too high
  • No intelligence support

Criminal/Civilian

Examined options:

  • Drug smuggling
  • Activism
  • Private operators
  • Yacht launches

None matched:

  • Capability demonstrated
  • Coordination level
  • Technology required

Military Implications

Force Protection

Incidents raised:

  • Security concerns
  • Vulnerability exposure
  • Intelligence gathering risk
  • Operational disruption
  • Response inadequacy

Technology Gap

If conventional origin:

  • Major advancement
  • Intelligence failure
  • Capability surprise
  • Strategic disadvantage
  • Urgent response needed

Media Coverage

Initial Reporting

The Drive first revealed:

  • Ship log details
  • Investigation scope
  • Military concern
  • Pattern recognition
  • Public awareness

Follow-up Coverage

Continued reporting showed:

  • Ongoing mystery
  • Expanded incidents
  • Government concern
  • Technology questions
  • Unresolved status

Official Statements

Military confirmed:

  • Incidents occurred
  • Investigations ongoing
  • Origin unknown
  • Safety concerns
  • Continued vigilance

Limited Disclosure

Information restricted:

  • Classified details
  • Ongoing investigation
  • Security concerns
  • Partial release only
  • Questions remain

Comparison Cases

Historical Precedents

Similar to:

  • Belgian wave (multiple objects)
  • Phoenix Lights (mass sighting)
  • RAF bases 1950s
  • Persistent presence
  • Military focus

Modern Context

Part of pattern:

  • 2004 Nimitz
  • 2014-15 Roosevelt
  • 2019 multiple incidents
  • Increasing frequency
  • Technology evolution

Alternative Explanations

Plasma Phenomena

Natural explanation attempted:

  • Atmospheric conditions
  • Electrical phenomena
  • Ball lightning variants

Failed because:

  • Controlled behavior
  • Extended duration
  • Multiple ships
  • Consistent patterns

Mass Misidentification

Conventional objects suggested:

  • Civilian aircraft
  • Weather balloons
  • Bird flocks
  • Satellites

All inadequate:

  • Performance observed
  • Duration recorded
  • Behavior documented
  • Professional witnesses

Investigation Status

Ongoing Mystery

Despite extensive efforts:

  • No origin determined
  • Technology unidentified
  • Operators unknown
  • Purpose unclear
  • Case remains open

Continued Concerns

Military maintains:

  • Vigilance required
  • Reporting procedures
  • Investigation resources
  • Technology assessment
  • Response development

Lessons Learned

Vulnerability Exposed

Incidents demonstrated:

  • Detection capabilities
  • Response limitations
  • Technology gaps
  • Intelligence needs
  • Procedure updates required

Policy Changes

Events prompted:

  • New protocols
  • Reporting improvements
  • Investigation procedures
  • Inter-agency cooperation
  • Technology development

Significance

USS Kidd swarm important because:

  • Multiple ship involvement
  • Extended duration capability
  • Investigation failure
  • Technology demonstration
  • Pattern establishment
  • Security implications
  • Mystery persistence

Conclusions

The USS Kidd incidents prove:

  • Unknown objects swarm Navy ships
  • Technology exceeds known capabilities
  • Investigations can fail
  • Patterns exist across fleet
  • Vulnerability real
  • Answers urgently needed

Whether the objects were:

  • Advanced foreign drones
  • Unknown phenomena
  • Non-human technology
  • Classified systems

The USS Kidd and associated destroyer swarm incidents of July 2019 represent a watershed moment in naval UAP encounters. The failure of extensive multi-agency investigations to determine the origin of objects demonstrating advanced capabilities in restricted military areas highlights both the reality of the phenomenon and the limitations of current understanding. These events, combined with simultaneous encounters across the fleet, suggest a coordinated presence that challenges conventional explanations and demands serious consideration of all possibilities, including those that push the boundaries of current technological understanding.