2025 · Near a sensitive military site, western U.S.
Orbs around a helicopter
From the senior intelligence official's released narrative (ODNI-UAP-D001) and the FBI 302: glowing orbs around a helicopter over a western test range in late 2025, one within about ten feet splitting in two, two above the rotor, smaller ones below, others pacing military jets. The helicopter type, light and terrain are imagined; the location is redacted. · Illustration for uaptrail.com
- What happened: In late 2025 a senior US intelligence official flew low in a helicopter near a sensitive military site in the western US and wrote a signed account of 'glowing orbs' close to the aircraft.
- The details: One orb came within about 10 feet and split in two, two large orbs sat just above the rotor, and orbs paced five military jets.
- What is on the record: The official's narrative, FBI infrared stills taken from the ground during the same exercise, and a separate FBI statement, all released on war.gov in May 2026.
- Still open: The location is redacted. Unnamed sources call it a luring operation at White Sands, and in October 2026 Rep. Eric Burlison said witnesses hold more video than Congress has received.
WhenLate 2025
WhereNear a sensitive military site, western U.S.
Backing4 independent
Evidencesensor data, documents, official records
A senior serving U.S. intelligence official, investigating strange noises and sightings at a sensitive military facility, flew low in a helicopter and wrote a first-hand account. They describe 'glowing orbs' close to the aircraft and in the distance, and a fast object moving low to the ground that split in two and shot off in two directions. Infrared images taken from the ground by other federal officials during the same exercise were released on war.gov in May 2026.
Evidence, in date order (4)
- 2025FBI and federal officials on the groundsensor datainfrared stills taken during the same exercise war.gov: FBI still image A001, late 2025
- 8 May 2026FBI 302 USPER statementdocumenta separate statement about the UAP sighting FBI 302 'USPER Statement about UAP Sighting' (war.gov release 1, 8 May 2026)
- 10 Oct 2026Rep. Eric BurlisonofficialWitnesses have more video than Congress has received; he is weighing a public hearing with intelligence witnesses New York Post, 10 Oct 2026 (via IBTimes UK)
- 15 Oct 2026Rep. Eric Burlisonofficialon camera, describes his classified briefing: dozens of orbs, four agencies on site, repeat events Dr. Phil, 15 Oct 2026
How plausible · High
A senior intelligence official's signed firsthand narrative was released with FBI infrared stills and a separate FBI statement.
- ●●Access He was there.
- ●●No gain sought Official.
- ●●Character record Senior official.
- ●●Independent convergence FBI images; Flowers' sources.
- ●●Checkable details check out Released.
- ●●Fits secrecy practice Multi-agency operation.
Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.
On the record
- The official's signed narrative, released by the ODNI.ODNI report
- FBI infrared stills from the same exercise.
- The FBI 302 'USPER Statement about UAP Sighting' (release 1, 8 May 2026) and ODNI-UAP-D001 (release 2, 22 May 2026). One orb came within about 10 ft and split in two; two large orbs sat just above the rotor at about 700 ft with 4-5 more in a 'T' below; orbs paced five military jets. The same day a redacted office completed a 'successful test' at the facility.Ground and airborne radar track an unknown off Neah Bay, and an F-86D radar shows it splitting in two (22 June 1954)
Claims
The orbs reacted to the helicopter's presence.firsthandSourced, unconfirmedsenior intelligence official
It was a luring operation run by the ODNI at White Sands.Did Trump authorize the shootdown of UFOs? (Christopher Sharp)ODNI reportWhite Sands lureanonymousSourced, unconfirmedJordan Flowers
Three or four dozen or more orbs; ODNI, CIA, FBI and Department of War intelligence people were all on site at a 'western military installation', and it has happened there more than once since late 2025.ODNI reportsecondhandSourced, unconfirmedEric Burlison
It was 'deer hunting', not a summoning: the site is a known hot spot, the objects tend to show up during certain range activity, and officials positioned themselves for it.secondhandSourced, unconfirmedEric Burlison
One of the witnesses is a career ODNI official who is not publicly known; some witnesses have not given Congress all their video.ODNI reportsecondhandSourced, unconfirmedEric Burlison
The team was sent to investigate loud thuds heard in the mountains of the test range, which coincided with orb sightings reported over the 'previous several nights'; the debris they found was 'remnants from rockets and other projectiles that had crashed during years of weapons testing on the range'. Neither document mentions a lure or a shoot-down; a 'successful test' that day is redacted.firsthandOn the recordsenior US intelligence official (FBI 302 and ODNI-UAP-D001)
war.gov files on this case (34)
Photos (31)
FBI Photo B1FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B2FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B3FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B4FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B5FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B6FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B8FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B9FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B10FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B11FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B12FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B13FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B14FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B15FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B16FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B17FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B18FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B19FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B20FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B21FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B22FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B23FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
FBI Photo B24FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025PDFs (3)
PDFFBI Photo B7FBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
PDFUSPER Narrative, Senior USIC OfficialOOTD · Release 02 · 2025
PDFUSPER Statement about UAP SightingFBI · Release 01 · Late 2025
In The picture
The shoot-down yearsDrones and orbs came over Langley, U.S. bases in Europe, New Jersey, Europe's airports and Australia's F-35 base at Williamtown, and no operator was caught. At Volkel, the Dutch F-35 base that stores American nuclear bombs, guards opened fire on objects in November 2025, and the defence minister told parliament their…
Similar cases · sharing people, threads, topics or era
Connected cases
Langley swarm 2023Ground and airborne radar track an unknown off Neah Bay, and an F-86D radar shows it splitting in two (22 June 1954) 1954ODNI report 2021Western U.S. 2026 2026Western U.S. event 2023White Sands lure 2025
People and organizations
Threads · click one to see it on the board
Sources
- war.gov/ufo
- war.gov: ODNI: senior intelligence official's account, 2025
- war.gov: FBI still image A001, late 2025
- war.gov: FBI still image B001, western U.S., late 2025
- IBTimes UK: Burlison considers testimony on the orange orbs (11 Oct 2026)
- Dr. Phil: "A congressman was briefed on a secret test to lure UFOs" (15 Oct 2026, clip on X)