Missing UFO Gun Camera Footage?

[Karl12]

Richard Thieme raises an interesting point in this presentation about missing UFO evidence and the fact that lots and lots of military gun camera UFO footage has never been released.









In fact before the recent lacklustre clips allegedly provided by Elizondo or Mellon (they simply can't get their stories straight) there had never been any footage released at all.

There are plenty of incidents of military aircraft encountering UFOs (or being scrambled to pursue them) so where's all the historical gun camera footage then?

There's some relevant historical commentary below on the subject as well as potential case examples and speculation about hidden footage archives (hosted by the CIA, DIA etc.).




• Historical:


According to MUFON International Director John F. Schuessler in his article about missing UFO information 'not one frame of gun camera film has ever been released'.

A significant number of UFO reports and rumors of UFO reports since WWII have involved various government individuals or organizations. UFO investigators have been endeavoring to get answers to these cases, but the results I have seen have been less than satisfying. Often inquiries are met with total denial. When replies were given, they usually contained blank or censored segments, even when requested through official FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) channels. This has resulted in the feelings of distrust between citizen and government and the continual cry of ‘cover-up.’

There is little doubt that government officials could put an end to this mystery if they were motivated to do so. Files could be opened. Satellite data could be released. Films could be released. Military and other government officials could be relieved of security oaths were UFO reports are concerned. NORAD, Dew Line and other tracking systems data sets could be released. NASA files could be released and crew members given permission to speak freely. This all should all be done while the principle players are still alive.

In the case of the older reports in government files, none of this would hurt national security because none of the older technology is still in use today. For newer cases the UFO information could be separated from sensitive material and fully released. Either way, it is time for some forthright help from government officials. The mass of information awaiting release is phenomenal..

Some of the material I would like to see officially disclosed follows:

Military aircraft gun cameras have filmed thousands of UFOs, according to pilot reports; however, not one frame of gun camera film has ever been released. At the same time thousands of feet of airplanes being shot down have been released. These films were archived at several locations and should be released. In addition, videotape has now replaced film and these tapes should also be released. Years ago, Major John A. Samford acknowledged that thousands of pilots had tried in vain to intercept UFOs, a fact acknowledged by most pilots today. It was acknowledged that two jet interceptors near Wright Patterson Air Force Base on August 1, 1952 did take gun camera film, a standard operating procedure.

Full List

That full list is well worth a read and contains info about missing official UFO investigation reports, radar information, UFO photographs, Military/FAA records etc.. but as this thread is focusing on missing military gun camera UFO footage would certainly appreciate any input or speculation about reasons for the lack of it.

If the contents of these government UFO documents are anything to go by then would imagine collection of military interceptor aircraft cameras would be a top priority and have read military pilot accounts of aircraft being sent up to intercept UFOs only to have their gun camera footage whisked away immediately on landing.




• Cameras


Even back in the day they were extremely serious about the subject and there's a nice 1952 news article below taken from Barry Greenwood's archive stating that a new type of camera that photographs luminous phenomena has been ordered and 'will be distributed to jet plane pilots as soon as they become available' - it also mentions the Air Force is receiving new reports of flying saucers at the rate of 100 a month and that jets have been ordered to 'shoot them down'.



Newspaper Clipping:

IMAGE



There's also a news article below reporting that even as far back as 1947 there were equipping U.S. fighter planes with gun and telescopic cameras being kept ready to take off and pursue 'flying saucers' and I can certainly think of many UFO cases since then which involve military aircraft and UFOs.. so where is all the footage?



Newspaper clipping:

IMAGE

FLYING SAUCER SCARE IN U.S.”, 7 July 1947

Six Oregon National Guard fighter planes, equipped with gun and tele-scopic cameras are being kept ready to take off after any flying saucers. The Army last night announced that it had a fighter plane standing by at Muroc airbase, California, to join in the chase..

Need Archive

[Karl12]

• Hidden Archives:



Senator Barry Goldwater once made some comments about Wright Patterson AFB and there's a relevant video on this page along with an FOIA document confirming the existence of a 'blue room'.

There's also this statement made about archives in the Pentagon:

• "He said 'we've got a whole vault of UFO pictures and gun camera film - they're in a vault, the vault is guarded and you need written authorization from a 4 star General Unified Commander with a need to know to get those pictures - this is the highest classified data in the USAF'".

Major George Filer, Air Force Intelligence Officer.

Video: 25:10 (sourced by Easynow)

The CIA's 'National Photographic Interpretation Cente' also pops up a lot in UFO research and it's Director Arthur C. Lundahl was a prominent member of the Cosmos Club (see 7:30) - here's a relevant passage about the place from Rich Dolan's first book 'UFOs And The National Security State'.

According to Richard Hall, a former Bluebook chief (Robert Friend?) told him that during the late 1950's and early 1960's gun camera films of UFOS were being 'routinely' obtained during jet interceptor chases and sent to the CIA's 'National Photographic Interpretation Centre (NPIC) for analysis. The individual also stated that 'none of the analysis data in these cases has been released, nor has the existence of these films ever been acknowledged"'..

E-Book

Following on from the claims made above there's also an interesting snippet below from Nick Redfern concerning the UK's 'Central Office of Information' (COI).

Robin Cole is someone who spent a lot of time investigating the UFO.phenomenon in the mid-to-late 1990s. In 1998, I interviewed Cole about his research. Most of it revolved around the UFO connection to the U.K.’s Government Communications Headquarters, GCHQ, which is based in Cheltenham, England and that is the U.K.’s equivalent of the United States’ National Security Agency. Cole said to me: “I gave a
presentation for a small group of people here in Cheltenham in early
1997, and at the end of it this guy came up to me and said: ‘I was very interested to hear what you had to say about the Civil Service.’ He continued that in 1958 he worked at a London address just off Waterloo
called Hercules House in the Central Office of Information (COI).
Basically, his job was to ferry messages back and forth to various departments; and on one occasion he was allowed to enter the vaults. Well, when he was down there, he noticed that there was a whole shelf of gun-camera footage and other film footage just labelled “UFOs.” He’s now retired but he made it clear that he’s still under the Official Secrets Act.” Although Hercules House is no longer a government building, maybe, somewhere, that footage still exists. Perhaps, in an old vault just waiting to be found.

Cheers.

[midicon]

A silly question Karl. Are gun cameras utilised if the plane isn't armed.

ETA...

I wonder if the navy aircraft of tic tac fame were armed before being sent to the rendezvous point. I don't think the servicemen at Rendlesham were before being sent to investigate the forest incident.

[Karl12]

A silly question Karl. Are gun cameras utilised if the plane isn't armed.

Suppose you could Google it mate - any thoughts on the thread subject as a whole (or potential hidden archives)?

Do remember a pretty remarkable daylight, close range incident from over Essex back in 1954 where a.RAF Meteor jet was approached by three silver, saucer-shaped objects which 'had a bun on top and a bun on the bottom'.

As the pilot mentions in the telephone interview below he didn't have time to get the gun sight up to take photographs but it is stated that this incident (amongst others) forced the MOD to rethink and then reverse its policy on UFOs.



See 24:30

During the period 1952 to 1957 there were a series of UFO sightings involving the military, which forced the MOD to rethink and then reverse its policy. These included sightings during Operation Mainbrace in September 1952 (including those at RAF Topcliffe), the West Malling incident on 3 November 1953, Flight Lieutenant Salandin’s near-collision with a UFO on 14 October 1954, the Lakenheath/Bentwaters radar/visual sightings on 13 and 14 August 1956 and the RAF West Freugh incident on 4 April 1957.

Link: 1 / 2

Also sounds a lot like this case (and this one) from two years earlier where three disc shaped objects were confirmed on radar and witnessed close range by two RAF pilots in another RAF Meteor jet.

Apparently upon landing both pilots separated, isolated and ordered not to discuss - debriefed next morning by plains clothes officer (records of official investigation now missing).



From 4:30




Continued

[Inspector44]

A silly question Karl. Are gun cameras utilised if the plane isn't armed.

ETA...

I wonder if the navy aircraft of tic tac fame were armed before being sent to the rendezvous point. I don't think the servicemen at Rendlesham were before being sent to investigate the forest incident.

There isn't an actual camera on the gun, the term refers to the FLIR camera pod that is installed on the F-18 and will always be operational even when flying without armaments. There's a picture of the pod in the article.

US Navy Looks to Replace or Improve F/A-18 Super Hornet’s ATFLIR Targeting Pod - The Aviation Geek Club

[midicon]

There isn't an actual camera on the gun, the term refers to the FLIR camera pod that is installed on the F-18 and will always be operational even when flying without armaments. There's a picture of the pod in the article.

US Navy Looks to Replace or Improve F/A-18 Super Hornet’s ATFLIR Targeting Pod - The Aviation Geek Club

I've seen the FLIR pod, just hadn't heard the term gun camera.

Thanks

[Karl12]

I've seen the FLIR pod, just hadn't heard the term gun camera.

Probably an outdated term mate but does pop up a lot in the older UFO literature - lots of links deleted for good these days but below is an archived case from Florida, November, 1957 (bit weird because Texas was having a major flap that same month).




• Ocala National Forest, Florida, November 20th, 1957:

At around 9:30 AM, while a naval pilot was making a training run from Jacksonville’s Cecil Airfield to a bombing range in the Ocala National Forest, he reported seeing 12 small, bright silver, disk shaped objects below him at roughly 10,000 feet altitude. The pilot switched on his on-board gun camera, and took several feet of film of the strange objects. Although visibility was clear, with
few clouds,the UFOs appeared to materialize out of nowhere.

The objects were later reported as being solid, metallic craft with no lights or windows, or having any remarkable features or identifying markings on their hulls. The pilot believed these strange crafts were flying under intelligent control, and not by remote, which is understandably odd because each craft was no larger than a garbage can lid. This“squadron” was also reported as descending to about 1000 feet above ground level, and remained in view for.about 20 minutes before shooting upward at incredible speeds and vanishing all together. The pilot also noted that the craft made no noise nor left any emission asthey departed. The pilot was debriefed and the.encounter formally reported to military and government authorities. No official outcome was reported after the fact.

A similar incident was reported by another naval pilot in 1959 over the
South Pacific, with almost identical descriptions, even though neither pilot had known each other prior to each separate encounter.

Source: CUFOS -- The Center for UFO Studies /.E-Book - Page 22

Also a gov doc describing another close range daylight disc report from a military pilot on 9th July, 1951 - it goes on to state that the 'pilot was unable to take photos due to camera' suggesting that there's an already existing UFO photographing protocol in place.

July 9th, 1951 USAF Intelligence Report

This report describes a rather up-close and personal UFO encounter on July 9, 1951, by the pilot of an F-51 fighter plane from Lawson Air Force Base in Georgia. The pilot, a combat veteran from World War Two, provided quite a bit of detail, which was recorded in the report


Object described as flat on top and bottom and appearing from a front view to have rounded edges and slightly beveled. From view as object dived from top of plane was completely round and spinning in clockwise direction.... Object did not appear to be aluminum. Only 1 object observed. Solar white. No vapor trails or exhaust or visible system of propulsion. Described as traveling [at] tremendous speed....Pilot states object was 300 to 400 feet from plane and appeared to be 10 to 15 feet in diameter....Pilot states he felt disturbance in the air described as ‘bump’ when object passed under plane....Pilot is considered by associates to be highly reliable, of mature judgement and a creditable observer".

Link 1 / 2

Cheers.

[putnam6]

Probably an outdated term mate but does pop up a lot in the older UFO literature - lots of links deleted for good these days but below is an archived case from Florida, November, 1957 (bit weird because Texas was having a major flap that same month).




• Ocala National Forest, Florida, November 20th, 1957:





Also a gov doc describing another close range daylight disc report from a military pilot on 9th July, 1951 - it goes on to state that the 'pilot was unable to take photos due to camera' suggesting that there's an already existing UFO photographing protocol in place.





Cheers.

Great topic and point

Gun camera footage would answer a lot of questions and bring forth loads of others.

There's easily 50 years' worth of it. 
 

Military gun camera footage of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) or unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs) is sparse and tightly controlled, with only a handful of officially released or leaked videos reaching the public. The U.S. government, particularly the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Navy, has acknowledged a few key pieces of footage, but much of what’s rumored to exist remains classified or inaccessible, often citing national security concerns. Below is a breakdown of the known footage, where it can be found, and the challenges in accessing more.
Known Military Gun Camera Footage of UFOs/UAPs

• Pentagon-Released Videos (2004, 2015)
  • Source: Three declassified videos, known as "FLIR1," "Gimbal," and "GoFast," were officially released by the DoD in April 2020 to "clear up misconceptions" about their authenticity. These were initially leaked in 2007 and 2017 through The New York Times and To the Stars Academy of Arts and Science, founded by Tom DeLonge.
    
  • Details:
    • FLIR1 (2004): Captured on November 14, 2004, by an F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS Nimitz off San Diego. It shows a "Tic Tac"-shaped object moving rapidly, detected by the Aegis SPY-1 radar and tracked by infrared cameras. Pilots, including Cmdr. David Fravor, reported no visible propulsion and extreme maneuverability.
      
    • Gimbal (2015): Recorded on January 21, 2015, by a Navy F/A-18 from the USS Theodore Roosevelt. It shows a rotating object with pilots commenting on its unusual movement against the wind.
      
    • GoFast (2015): Also from January 21, 2015, by an F/A-18 from the USS Theodore Roosevelt, it depicts a small, fast-moving object over the ocean, with pilots struggling to lock onto it.
      
  • Where to Find: These videos are publicly available on:
    • The DoD’s official website (defense.gov) under their news releases.
      
    • The Black Vault (theblackvault.com), a site dedicated to declassified documents, which hosts these videos and related FOIA responses.
      
    • To the Stars Academy’s website (tothestarsacademy.com).
      
    • YouTube, where outlets like CNBC Television have shared them (e.g., a post from @BlackTriangle16
      ).
      
  • Access Notes: These are the most widely circulated and verified UAP videos, downloadable from the DoD or archives like the National Archives’ UAP Records Collection (Record Group 615).
    
• 2019 USS Omaha and USS Russell Footage
  • Source: Leaked videos confirmed by the Pentagon in April 2021, captured by Navy personnel aboard the USS Omaha and USS Russell.
    
  • Details:
    • USS Omaha (July 15, 2019): Filmed in the Combat Information Center off San Diego, showing a spherical object moving rapidly over the ocean before submerging, recorded via infrared camera. No wreckage was recovered.
      
    • USS Russell (2019): Night vision footage showing triangular objects hovering above the ship. Skeptics, like Mick West, suggest these could be bokeh effects from camera lenses or drones. The Pentagon later attributed similar triangular sightings to unmanned aerial systems (UAS) viewed through night vision.
      
  • Where to Find:
    • Posted by investigative journalist Jeremy Corbell on X (@JeremyCorbell
      ) and featured on his website or related media like Fox News.
      
    • Discussed in outlets like CNN and The Guardian, with clips sometimes embedded.
      
  • Access Notes: These are less formally archived than the 2004/2015 videos but can be found via Corbell’s posts or news sites. The Pentagon has not released them directly but confirmed their authenticity.
    
• 2023 USS Jackson Footage
  • Source: Released in April 2025 by journalists Jeremy Corbell and George Knapp, showing four "Tic Tac"-shaped UAPs near the USS Jackson off California on February 15, 2023.
    
  • Details: Captured by a weapons system platform, the footage shows self-illuminated objects, one emerging from the ocean, with coordinated movement suggesting communication.
    
  • Where to Find:
    • Featured on NBC News (nbcnews.com) in an interview with Corbell.
      
    • Shared by Corbell on X (@JeremyCorbell
      ).
      
  • Access Notes: This is newer footage, primarily accessible through Corbell’s posts or news reports. It’s not yet part of official DoD releases.
    
• MQ-9 Drone Footage (2021, 2022)
  • Source: Released by the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) in 2023, sourced from MQ-9 Reaper drones.
    
  • Details:
    • 2021 Western U.S.: Shown by AARO’s Sean Kirkpatrick in a 2023 NASA meeting, this infrared video was analyzed with commercial flight data and deemed a commercial aircraft.
      
    • 2022 Middle East ("Mosul Orb"): Shows a metallic orb-like object, unresolved due to insufficient data. Kirkpatrick noted similarities to other regional orb sightings, with some suggesting it could be a balloon.
      
  • Where to Find:
    • AARO’s official website (aaro.mil) under UAP imagery.
      
    • Discussed in congressional hearings, with clips on ABC News or Fox News.
      
  • Access Notes: Limited to AARO’s site or hearing coverage. The 2022 footage is often referenced in discussions by Corbell.
    
• Mosul Orb (2016)
  • Source: Recorded by a U.S. military reconnaissance plane over Mosul, Iraq, in 2016, shared by Jeremy Corbell in 2023.
    
  • Details: Shows a metallic orb, similar to the 2022 Middle East sighting. AARO’s Kirkpatrick noted it lacks evidence of “enigmatic technical capabilities” but remains unexplained.
    
  • Where to Find: Shared by Corbell with Fox News and on X (@JeremyCorbell
    ).
    
  • Access Notes: Not officially released by the DoD but discussed in media and congressional contexts.
    

Challenges in Accessing More Footage

• Classification and National Security: The DoD has confirmed additional footage exists but often withholds it, citing risks to national security. A 2020 FOIA request by The Black Vault confirmed more Navy footage, but it was denied release due to potential exposure of vulnerabilities or capabilities.
  
• Limited Public Releases: Only a small fraction of the 650+ UAP incidents reported to AARO as of 2023 have associated footage released. Most are narrative-based or lack sufficient data for public disclosure.
  
• Skepticism and Debunking: Many videos are attributed to mundane explanations (e.g., drones, balloons, optical effects like bokeh, or commercial aircraft) after analysis, reducing the urgency for public release. For instance, the 2019 USS Russell triangles were linked to drones, and the 2021 MQ-9 footage was identified as a plane.
  
• Stigma and Reporting: Until recently, pilots faced stigma for reporting UAPs, limiting documented cases. New Navy guidelines since 2019 encourage reporting, but much historical footage may remain classified or lost.
  
• Unverified Claims: Some alleged footage, like U2 pilot testimony from the 1960s mentioned by @MikeColangelo
   on X, lacks confirmed public access, with AARO unable to locate it.
  

Where to Look for Available Footage

• Official Sources:
  • Department of Defense (defense.gov): Hosts the 2004/2015 videos.
    
  • AARO Website (aaro.mil): Contains select imagery, like MQ-9 drone clips.
    
  • National Archives (archives.gov): The UAP Records Collection (Record Group 615) includes downloadable DoD-verified videos.
    
• Media and Independent Outlets:
  • The Black Vault (theblackvault.com): Archives declassified videos and FOIA responses.
    
  • To the Stars Academy (tothestarsacademy.com): Hosts the 2004/2015 videos.
    
  • News Outlets: CNN, Fox News, NBC News, and The New York Times often embed clips in articles or interviews.
    
• X Platform: Posts by users like @JeremyCorbell
   provide newer footage or links to media coverage.
  
• YouTube: Search for “Pentagon UFO videos” or specific titles like “Gimbal” or “GoFast” for reposts, though verify sources for authenticity.
  

Sentiment and Context
Public and expert sentiment, as seen on X and in media, ranges from intrigue to skepticism. Posts like 
@JeremyCorbell
’s emphasize the national security implications and potential for groundbreaking discoveries, while others, like Reddit’s r/UFOs community, often lean toward mundane explanations (e.g., balloons, drones). Experts like Mick West argue most sightings have earthly explanations, such as optical artifacts or known technology, while AARO’s Kirkpatrick stresses insufficient data over extraterrestrial claims.
Recommendations

• Start with the DoD’s 2020 release (FLIR1, Gimbal, GoFast) on defense.gov or The Black Vault for verified footage.
  
• Check AARO’s website for drone-related clips and updates.
  
• Follow @JeremyCorbell
   on X for newer, less official releases, but cross-reference with news outlets like NBC or Fox for context.
  
• For historical context, explore the National Archives’ UAP collection, though it’s more document-heavy than video-rich.
  
• Be cautious with unverified X posts or YouTube videos claiming “new” footage, as they may lack DoD confirmation.
  

If you want me to dig deeper into a specific video, analyze a particular source, or check X for real-time posts about new footage, let me know! I can also search the web for additional clips if needed.

[Karl12]

Gun camera footage would answer a lot of questions and bring forth loads of others.

There's easily 50 years' worth of it. 

Appreciate the info mate and yes it would (and yes there is).

You can bet your bootstraps these Iranian interceptors were equipped with cameras so would dearly love to see what they filmed - would also like to know what went on at the top secret meeting between the Imperial Iranian Air Force and the USAF.






Tehran UFO Documents - 1976.

[putnam6]

Appreciate the info mate and yes it would (and yes there is).

You can bet your bootstraps these Iranian interceptors were equipped with cameras so would dearly love to see what they filmed - would also like to know what went on at the top secret meeting between the Imperial Iranian Air Force and the USAF.

[Video: https://youtu.be/pddGruK11Mc]

Tehran UFO Documents - 1976.

[Image: https://denyignorance.com//images/addsmilies/beer.gif]

Yep they can whitewash some cases bu there are so damn many, I recall the basics of the Iranian incident will watch the video,

For me, that's what I'd like to see, somebody take these famous incidents and run them through TPTB and get specific answers and withheld evidence