On February 10, 2023, an F-22 Raptor from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson intercepted and shot down an unidentified object over Alaska’s North Slope at approximately 40,000 feet. The engagement, authorized by President Biden and coordinated through NORAD, represented the second military operation against an airborne object in eight days, following the Chinese surveillance balloon incident.
The object was described by military officials as roughly the size of a small car but exhibited no visible means of propulsion. An AIM-9X Sidewinder missile was employed to disable the target over the frozen Arctic terrain north of Prudhoe Bay.
Recovery Efforts
Following the successful engagement, military and civilian search teams deployed to the North Slope to locate and recover debris from the object. The recovery operation faced significant logistical challenges due to the remote location and Arctic conditions. Despite initial efforts, the search was ultimately abandoned on February 18, 2023, as deteriorating weather and harsh environmental conditions made continued operations untenable.
No debris was publicly confirmed as recovered from the site. The absence of recovered material limited official analysis of the object’s origin, composition, and purpose, leaving many technical details classified or undisclosed.
Official Characterization
Unlike the previous week’s Chinese balloon incident, which had a known origin and clear purpose, the nature of the Alaska object remained officially ambiguous. Military and government officials offered no detailed public explanation regarding its source or function, with discussions largely restricted to classified briefings.
The incident was one of several such engagements that occurred during this period, contributing to increased public interest in unidentified aerial phenomena and military response protocols.
Note: This incident is among the 46 specific events and videos referenced in Luna’s March 2026 letter requesting comprehensive documentation of recent UAP-related military incidents.