US Navy Denies FOIA Request of UFO Videos, Says Release Would ‘Harm National Security’

This image from video, labeled GIMBAL and provided by the Department of Defense from 2015, shows an unexplained object (C) being tracked as it soars high along the clouds, traveling against the wind. Department of Defense via AP

The U.S. Navy told a website that releases formerly classified government documents that all Navy-held videos of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP)—colloquially referred to as UFOs—are classified and are exempt from disclosure. The maritime service branch also stated that releasing them would “harm national security.”

The Black Vault is a privately run archive of declassified government documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The website features content mainly related to UFOs and similar phenomena.