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AATIP: the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, fully sourced

The AATIP record — the Pentagon's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program first revealed publicly in the December 2017 New York Times investigation — and the related programs (AAWSAP, BAASS, the UAP Task Force, AOIMSG) that connect it to today's AARO.

The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) was a Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) effort active roughly 2007-2012, funded under the Defense appropriations bill at the request of then-Sen. Harry Reid. Its existence became public in the December 16, 2017 New York Times piece by Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal, and Leslie Kean, which named former DoD official Luis Elizondo as the program's director.

AATIP is sometimes confused with AAWSAP — the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program — which was the contracting vehicle that funded much of the same work via Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS).

The AATIP/AAWSAP record is also the link between modern UAP investigation and earlier U.S. government programs. The 2020 establishment of the UAP Task Force (UAPTF), the 2021 establishment of the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG), and the 2022 establishment of AARO are all institutional successors to AATIP.

This page tracks the original 2017 NYT story, every subsequent disclosure about AATIP and AAWSAP, and the public statements of named officials connected to them.

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Report
Featured

New York Times reveals the Pentagon's AATIP program

Helene Cooper, Ralph Blumenthal, and Leslie Kean publish a front-page New York Times investigation revealing the existence of the Department of Defense's Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program. The story includes a release of the 'FLIR1' video and on-the-record statements from former AATIP director Luis Elizondo.

Sighting
Featured

Imperial Iranian Air Force F-4 reports loss of weapons systems near Tehran

Two Imperial Iranian Air Force F-4 Phantoms intercept an unidentified object over Tehran. Both pilots report electronic-system failures, and one reports temporary loss of weapons control. A four-page Defense Intelligence Agency report on the case is later released under FOIA.

Frequently asked

What does AATIP stand for?
The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program — a Defense Intelligence Agency program that ran from approximately 2007 through 2012 to investigate unidentified aerial phenomena reports from U.S. military sources.
Who was the director of AATIP?
Luis Elizondo, a former U.S. Department of Defense intelligence official, has stated publicly and under oath that he led AATIP. The DoD has at times disputed the program's specific name and scope while acknowledging Elizondo's broader UAP-related work.
What's the difference between AATIP and AAWSAP?
AAWSAP — the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program — was the official funding contract awarded by the DIA to Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS) in 2008. AATIP was the broader umbrella term Elizondo and others have used for the UAP investigation activity that AAWSAP funded. The two terms are often used interchangeably in popular accounts.
Is AATIP still operating?
No — the program was effectively discontinued in 2012 when funding ended. Its institutional successors are the UAP Task Force (2020), AOIMSG (2021), and ultimately AARO (2022). The 2017 NYT story revealed AATIP retroactively after its funding had ended.
Where can I read the original AATIP documents?
The original NYT story, plus the BAASS contract documents released through FOIA, are linked from individual events on this page. The full BAASS reports — the so-called 'DIRDs' or Defense Intelligence Reference Documents — were released piecemeal between 2018 and 2024.

Looking for related material? Browse the full timeline, the on-the-record witnesses, or every topical tag.