Mission Report DOW-UAP-D19: Unidentified Object Observations Over Al-Shaddadi, Syria, February 21, 2023

Source file: dow-uap-d19-mission-report-syria-february-21-2023.pdf Originating agency: Department of Defense / DoD Modern UAP (USCENTCOM / AFCENT) Date range: February 20–21, 2023 (202320Z FEB23 to 210435Z FEB23) Page count: 10 (all read) High-significance pages: 1 (narrative and UAP observations), 8 (EMI and radar jamming), 9 (AIRSIGHT and detailed UAP observations), 10 (possible balloon at FL210)

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Official Blurb (from war.gov)

This document is a Mission Report (MISREP), a standardized reporting form the U.S. Military uses to record the circumstances surrounding its operations. U.S. military services often use MISREPs to report Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) to AARO. The GENTEXT, or "general text" section of these reports often contains important qualitative, contextual information, distinguishing it from the more quantitative, or numerical, data found elsewhere in the report. A U.S. military operator reported observing one "possible balloon" at approximately 2,100 feet. All descriptive and estimative language contained in this report reflects the reporter's subjective interpretation at the time of the event. Such characterizations should not be interpreted as a conclusive indication of the presence or absence of any intrinsic object features or performance characteristics.

Summary

This classified Mission Report (MISREP) was filed by the 389th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (332 AEW) under Operation Inherent Resolve. A two-ship of F-15E Strike Eagles launched from Muwaffaq Salti Air Base (OJMS) in Jordan to fly a Defensive Counter Air (DCA) sortie over Syria. During the flight the crews reported three possible unidentified aerial phenomena (POSS UAP) and one possible balloon, alongside a radar jamming (EMI) event. The document was declassified on October 8, 2025 by Major General Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff.

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Research Article

Introduction

On the night of February 20–21, 2023, a flight of two F-15E Strike Eagles departed to fly an air patrol and air defense mission over the ESSA airspace in Syria. The mission was a Defensive Counter Air (DCA) tasking under Operation Inherent Resolve, the ongoing U.S. campaign against the remnants of ISIS in the region. The report is filed as a Mission Report (MISREP) under the identifier DOW-UAP-D19 and was administered through the 609th Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC).

Mission timeline

The flight launched at 2320Z from OJMS (Muwaffaq Salti Air Base) in Jordan. Shortly afterward, at 2338Z, a command-and-control check was conducted with a control element callsign KINGPIN. At 2345Z the flight took its first aerial refueling on the "MOM TRACK" track, receiving 37,000 pounds of fuel (combined total).

After refueling, the flight moved to its operational station at 0003Z and remained on station for 3 hours and 37 minutes until 0340Z. During that period it took two further refuelings: a second tanking at 0134Z on the "GANDER TRACK" track delivering 33,500 pounds, and a third at 0226Z delivering an additional 11,000 pounds. At 0340Z the flight ran a C2 check to leave station and landed at OJMS at 0425Z. Total mission duration was 4 hours and 55 minutes.

Anomalous events: UAP and electromagnetic interference

The radar jamming incident (EMI): From 0021Z to 0024Z, a span of three minutes, the flight received multi-function radar jamming (MFT — Multi-Function Technology Radar Jamming) in the vicinity of Al-Shaddadi at FL270 (approximately 27,000 feet). The affected system was the APG-82 radar operating at 8.8–9.9 GHz. The jamming effect on the system was rated "PARTIAL," and there was no impact on the mission. The associated JSIR report number is 340377.

The operator note records the crew's assessment that this was a standard phenomenon ("STANDARD ON AZIMUTH"), with MFT radar jamming experienced by aircrew north of Al-Shaddadi. The professional working theory is that this is an "area of effect" of a Turkish X-Band jamming relay, located on or near the Syrian–Turkish border or inside Turkey.

First UAP incident (3 possible objects): At 0025Z, while the flight was flying a combat air patrol at FL270, three possible unidentified objects (3X POSS UAP) were observed in the vicinity of Al-Shaddadi at FL240 (approximately 24,000 feet). Critical description: no radar returns were received from the objects. No health effects were observed in the crew. Two white objects with significant infrared signatures were observed. The weather was overcast. VSW (Video Still Window) data was collected, and no pursuit was undertaken (NFTR — No Further Tail Required).

Second UAP incident (possible balloon): At 0135Z, a single possible balloon-type object (1X POSS BALLOON) was identified in the vicinity of Al-Shaddadi at FL210 (approximately 21,000 feet). In this incident too, VSW data was collected and no further tracking was performed. The weather was overcast.

Mission equipment and armament

Each of the two F-15E aircraft was equipped with:

• An APG-82 radar with Suite 9.1 software
• An ALR-56C radar warning system with IRSWA PACER WARE software
• RR-180 chaff dispensers (120 units) and MJU-51/53 flares (24 units)
• An M61A1 cannon with 510 rounds
• 2 AIM-120D missiles (radar-guided)
• 2 AIM-9X missiles (infrared-guided)
• A SNIPER-SE targeting pod

Operational and analytical significance

The document reveals several points of importance:

First, the observed objects were classified as "possible" (POSS) and were not confirmed. The absence of radar returns is a notable finding, since ordinary aircraft, balloons, and military UAVs typically return at least a partial radar signal. The infrared significance ("2 WHITE OBJECTS IR SIGNIFICANT") indicates the objects emitted measurable heat.

Second, the three objects were observed at FL240 — while the flight itself was operating at FL270. The 3,000-foot altitude difference between the mission aircraft and the objects is a useful research parameter but did not yield complete CPA (Closest Point of Approach) data.

Third, the decision to mark the radar jamming event as "standard" and attribute it to a Turkish X-Band relay is a field interpretation note, not an authoritative conclusion. The geographic proximity between the radar jamming and the UAP observations (both in the vicinity of Al-Shaddadi, one minute apart) is worthy of attention.

Fourth, the mission itself was canceled as planned after launch (Mission Canceled following an amendment, D2 MSN AMENDS), indicating a rapid change in operational tasking. The crews nevertheless continued to station and carried out the DCA tasks in practice.

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Key People

• Observation commander: rank 1st Lt, unit 389 EFS, 332 AEW (name redacted per FOIA exemptions 3, 130b, (b)(6))
• QC officer (quality control): rank SrA, unit A2, 332 AEW (name redacted)
• Approver: rank 1LT, unit 89 ATKS, 432 AEW (name redacted)
• Declassifying authority: MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff

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Locations

• OJMS (Muwaffaq Salti Air Base): launch and recovery base in Jordan
• ESSA: DCA operating area in Syria (killbox)
• Al-Shaddadi: city in southeastern Syria (Al-Hasakah Governorate), area of the UAP observations and radar jamming
• Syrian–Turkish border: area attributed as the source of the X-Band radar jamming

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Incidents

Incident	Date/Time	Location	Pages
MFT radar jamming at 8.8–9.9 GHz, APG-82 system, partial effect	210021Z–210024Z FEB23 (3 minutes)	Al-Shaddadi, Syria, FL270	1, 8, 9
Observation of 3 possible unidentified objects (POSS UAP), no radar returns, IR significant	210025Z FEB23	Al-Shaddadi, Syria, FL240	1, 9
Observation of a single possible balloon, VSW data collected	210135Z FEB23	Al-Shaddadi, Syria, FL210	1, 10

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Notable Quotes

On the unidentified objects:

"OBS 3X POSS UAP IVO SHADDADI [...] AT FL240. WSV PRODUCED. NFTR."

"NO RADAR RETURNS RECEIVED FROM UAP. NO HEALTH EFFECTS EXPERIENCED BY AIRCREW. 2 WHITE OBJECTS IR SIGNIFICANT. NFTR."

On the radar jamming:

"RECEIVED MFT RADAR JAMMING IVO SHADDADI [...] AT FL270. NTFR."

"THIS EVENT IS STANDARD ON AZIMUTH, MFT RADAR JAMMING EXPERIENCED BY AIRCREW NORTH OF SHADDADI. OUR WORKING THEORY IS THAT IT IS AN AERA OF EFFECT TURKISH X-BAND JAMMER ON OR ACROSS THE SYR/TUR BORDER INTO TURKEY."

On the possible balloon:

"OBS 1X POSS BALLOON IVO SHADDADI [...] AT FL210. WSV PRODUCED. NFTR."