Project Archives

Key Terms

Common acronyms and terms used in the public record on UAP disclosure, government programmes, and related congressional oversight.

AARO All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office

U.S. Department of Defense office established in July 2022 to synchronize efforts across the DoD and other federal agencies to detect, identify, and attribute anomalous, unidentified objects in air, sea, space, and transmedium domains, and to mitigate any associated threats to safety of operations and national security. Succeeded the UAPTF. See also: Disclosure Network, US government records.

AATIP Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program

Informal designation sometimes used after the end of AAWSAP in 2012 for continued internal DoD work reviewing UAP reports. It was not an official standalone DoD programme. Its existence was publicly revealed by the New York Times in December 2017. See also: Luis Elizondo, Disclosure Network.

AAWSAP Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program

Defense Intelligence Agency-managed programme (2008 to 2012) funded by Congress to assess long-term foreign advanced aerospace threats, including unidentified aerial phenomena. The programme received $22 million over five years. See also: Hal Puthoff, Eric Davis, James Lacatski, Colm Kelleher.

ASA Americans for Safe Aerospace

Nonprofit organisation founded by former Navy F/A-18 pilot Ryan Graves to advocate for improved UAP reporting mechanisms for military and civilian aviators. See also: Ryan Graves.

FOIA Freedom of Information Act

Federal law enacted in 1966 that grants the public the right to request access to records from any federal agency. Widely used by researchers and journalists to obtain UAP-related government documents. See also: US government records hub, CIA FOIA viewer, FBI Vault viewer.

ICIG Intelligence Community Inspector General

Independent oversight office responsible for conducting audits, inspections, and investigations across the U.S. intelligence community. In 2022, the ICIG found David Grusch’s UAP-related complaint “credible and urgent.” See also: David Grusch.

NDAA National Defense Authorization Act

Annual legislation authorising the budget and expenditures of the U.S. Department of Defense. Several recent NDAAs have included UAP-related provisions, including the establishment of AARO and proposed disclosure mechanisms. See also: UAP Disclosure Act, Disclosure Network.

NHI Non-Human Intelligence

Term used in public congressional testimony and disclosure discussions to refer to intelligences or entities not of human origin. Used in the proposed UAP Disclosure Act of 2023 and in sworn testimony before the House Oversight Committee. See also: UAP Disclosure Act, Disclosure Network, David Grusch.

NORAD North American Aerospace Defense Command

Binational U.S.-Canadian military organisation responsible for aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning for North America. Maintains radar and sensor networks relevant to aerial object detection. See also: Canada country file, United States country file.

SAP Special Access Program

Highly restricted classified programme requiring additional safeguards and need-to-know access beyond standard classified information. SAPs impose compartmentalised access controls on sensitive defence and intelligence activities. See also: USAP.

SCU Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies

Research organisation composed of scientists and engineers that publishes technical analyses of UAP cases using publicly available data, including reports on the Aguadilla and Nimitz incidents. See also: USS Nimitz exhibition.

UAP Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena

Official U.S. government term (expanded in 2022 from “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena”) for airborne, transmedium, submerged, or space objects or events that cannot be immediately identified. This is the current standard term used in legislation and official reporting. See also: Disclosure Network, Case Files.

UAPTF Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force

Pentagon task force established in August 2020 under the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security to detect, analyse, and catalog UAP that could potentially pose a threat to U.S. national security. It was succeeded by AARO in 2022. See also: USS Nimitz exhibition.

USAP Unacknowledged Special Access Program

Highly classified U.S. government programme whose existence is not formally acknowledged publicly. A subset of SAPs with extreme compartmentalisation. Referenced in congressional UAP discussions regarding alleged legacy retrieval programmes. See also: David Grusch, Disclosure Network.

Note: All definitions are derived from official U.S. government records, congressional legislation, public testimony, and established organizational documentation. This glossary is maintained as a factual reference and does not include speculative or unverified terminology. Terms are added as they enter the verified public record.