unexplained aerial phenomenon

unexplained aerial phenomenon (plural unexplained aerial phenomena)

1. Alternative form of unidentified aerial phenomenon (“UAP”)
   • 2012, Don Lipman, The Washington Post, "Red sprites, blue jets, and elves What are these mysterious, elusive phenomena?"

     During World War II (and probably before), high flying pilots were reported to have observed unexplained aerial phenomena (UAP), often now called transient luminous events (TLE’s), particularly in the vicinity of thunderstorms.

   • 2016, Amy Chozick, The New York Times, "Hillary Clinton Gives U.F.O. Buffs Hope She Will Open the X-Files"

     “You know, there’s a new name,” Mrs. Clinton said in the March appearance. “It’s unexplained aerial phenomenon,” she said. “U.A.P. That’s the latest nomenclature.”

   • 2017, Nadia Drake, National Geographic, "What We've Learned From 60 Years of U.S.-Funded UFO Probes", ISSN 0027-9358

     A recently revealed, formerly secret U.S. government program that studied unexplained aerial phenomena—more colloquially referred to as UFOs—came as a surprise to many when stories describing it appeared almost simultaneously in the New York Times and Politico.

   • 2019, Sam Thompson, Global News Service (Corus wireservice), "Winnipeg UFOlogist says unexplained U.S. Navy videos don’t necessarily imply aliens"

     The reason the term unexplained aerial phenomenon is being used, he said, is because although ‘UFO’ is better-known, it brings with it certain connotations – usually involving little green men.

   • 2019, Associated Press, U.S. News and World Report, "Many UFO Sightings Reported in Western Pennsylvania, US"

     While the Kecksburg UFO sighting has become a quaint part of local lore, more recent reports of unexplained aerial phenomena are getting serious attention from Congress, the U.S. military and longtime UFO watchers.

   • 2020, Vinay Menon, Niagara Falls Review, "UFO revelation should be stunning, but COVID-19 has us too locked down to care"

     As I’ve said before, brush up on any clandestine program that was set up to investigate unexplained aerial phenomena — including Project Mogul, Project Sign, Project Grudge, Project Blue Book, Project Ozma — and you will find the same operating principle: blanket denial.