Pentagon responds to release of photograph taken by Navy pilot showing an unidentified object

MYSTERY WIRE — A new media report shows what is described as an unidentified aerial object, or UAP flying near a U.S. Navy jet.

In an article published Wednesday on The Debrief website and a new article Thursday, writer Tim McMillian goes into detail about several top-level briefings on the UAP task force, the Advanced Aerospace Weapons Special Application Program (AAWSAP), and the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) that were given to high-ranking members of Congress and military staff.

In the more recent article, Debrief published a photograph showing what is characterized as UAP.

BREAKING: @Debriefmedia has learned of the leak of an unclassified photo, said to have been widely distributed in the Intelligence Community, which purportedly shows what the DoD has characterized as “Unidentified Aerial Phenomena.”https://t.co/z9iBnrtRAb
— The Debrief (@Debriefmedia) December 3, 2020

One of the new pieces of information is about a recent UAPTF report put out this past summer which included a photograph taken by a military pilot showing an object near his jet. The Debrief writes the photo was taken by a military fighter pilot during a flight off the eastern coast of the United States.

In 2019, Mystery Wire was given a copy of the same cockpit photo. Mystery Wire was told the photograph was taken in 2018 by a Navy pilot using his cell phone. At this time we cannot confirm if there any other photographs of this object.

Mystery Wire reached out to the Department of Defense (DoD) for reaction to the publication of this photograph:

I have nothing for you on that. I am not going to comment on whether something was or was not in a classified intelligence report.
In general, regarding UAPs, to maintain operations security and to avoid disclosing information that may be useful to potential adversaries, DOD does not discuss publicly the details of reports, observations or examinations of reported incursions into our training ranges or designated airspace, including those incursions initially designated as UAP.
Sue Gough, Defense Public Affairs Operations

In August of this year, The DoD put out a news release outlining the UAPTF and who will be in charge. The DoD release stated the “The Department of the Navy, under the cognizance of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, will lead the UAPTF.“