The United States has declassified four videos showing Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAPs), commonly known as UFOs, captured by military pilots. The footage, released by the Pentagon, shows objects moving at extraordinary speeds and performing manoeuvres beyond known human technology. British intelligence officials are now under pressure to disclose similar sightings recorded by UK forces.
The videos, taken by US Navy pilots in 2014 and 2015, include encounters off the East Coast where objects appeared to rotate and accelerate rapidly. One clip shows a craft shaped like a spinning top, another resembles a flying cube. The Pentagon's declassification unit confirmed the clips are real and were investigated for years.
Labour MP Alan Johnson, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, said the UK must follow suit. "The public deserves transparency. We have dozens of reports from RAF pilots and radar operators that remain classified. If the US can release evidence, why can't we?" He urged the Ministry of Defence to publish its own files.
The US move comes as Congress pushes for greater disclosure. In 2022, the Pentagon set up the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to standardise reporting. The released videos are part of a batch of hundreds of incidents. "These are not birds, balloons or weather anomalies," said a former intelligence officer. "We have objects that can withstand G-forces that would destroy any aircraft."
UK pilots have reported similar encounters. Retired Squadron Leader Mark Holton said he witnessed a disc-shaped object over the North Sea in 1995. "It made no sound, hovered for minutes, then shot off at speeds beyond anything we have. My report was classified and I was told not to speak." He supports the call for transparency.
The National Archives holds thousands of UFO files, many released under Freedom of Information. However, recent sightings by military personnel remain secret. The intelligence community argues releasing them could compromise security. But critics say secrecy fuels conspiracy theories and undermines public trust.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: "We take all reports of potential threats to UK airspace seriously. Any decision to release material will be based on national security considerations." They declined to comment on specific cases.
The US declassification has reignited debate. Dr. Eleanor Hayes, a physicist at Cambridge, said: "Without data, we cannot assess what these objects are. Secrecy stops scientific inquiry. If the UK government has evidence, it should follow the US lead."
For now, the four videos are the only official US releases. But the pressure is on London to follow. Johnson has submitted a parliamentary question demanding full disclosure of UK sightings. The answer will come in two weeks, but the question remains: what is the government hiding in our skies?
