Iraq: USAF ISR crew follows UAP flying north-northeast, no positive ID
On 20 May 2022 at 20:43 UTC a U.S. Air Force ISR aircraft on an Operation Inherent Resolve reconnaissance mission over Iraq observed one UAP flying north to north-east, followed it as long as possible, and the imagery screener could not obtain a positive identification.
Background
The mission report (originally SECRET//REL TO USA, FVEY; declassified by the USCENTCOM Chief of Staff on 8 October 2025) was filed by the 196th Attack Squadron for a single ISR aircraft that took off from Ali Al Salem, Kuwait, at 05:42 UTC on 20 May 2022 and supported a unit given as 'MAG' with full-motion video and signals collection in MGRS grid square 38S MC (east-central Iraq, north-east of Baghdad) until 21:21 UTC. The UAP section gives initial contact at 20:43 UTC on 20 May 2022, the friendly aircraft at 18,000 feet in grid square 38S MC, one UAP sighted, first seen at a partly redacted position in the same grid square, and 'UNK' for altitude, velocity and trajectory. The description states that the crew observed a UAP at 20:43 UTC fly north to north-east and followed it as long as possible, and that the screener could not get a positive ID. Aircraft type, callsign, tail number and exact coordinates are redacted. The details are taken from the records released by the U.S. Department of War (record code DOW-UAP-D12) and do not represent an independent determination by From Beyond Space.