What did the declassified documents reveal?

AARO Resolutions Released to the public domain through The Black Vault, this document details the resolution of the Al Taqaddum Object case by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). The case involved an unidentified object observed above Al Taqaddum Air Base, Iraq, on October 23, 2017. The document is a case resolution report, dated September 10, 2025. The document was released through The Black Vault, an online archive of declassified government records, and is available at https://archive.org/download/declassified-aaro/AAROAlTaqaddumCaseResolutionFinaldjvu.txt. AARO assesses with high confidence that the Al Tagaddum object did not exhibit anomalous behavior or capabilities. AARO assesses with high confidence that the object was consistent with a cluster of fully and partially inflated balloons (Figure 1). Case Overview: On October 23, 2017, an infrared (IR) sensor aboard an aerostat force protection dirigible operating at 2,700 feet above Al Taqaddum Air Base, Iraq, recorded 17 minutes and 30 seconds of footage featuring an unidentified object that appears to be floating above the ground. Key Findings: AARO assesses with high confidence that the object: - Did not exhibit anomalous speed or other behavior exceeding known state-of-the-art performance characteristics - Was consistent with a cluster of fully and partially inflated balloons AARO based this assessment on analysis of full-motion video, video metadata, line-of-sight, scenario reconstructions, and weather data analysis. The object's appearance and lack of thermal signatures is consistent with previously identified balloon clusters, and bolsters AARO's assessment of the morphology and performance characteristics of the object. Case Synopsis: Location: Al Tagaddum Air Base, Iraq Date: 23 October 2017 Object Altitude (Reported): Not reported Object Altitude (Assessed): 850-2,200 feet Object Speed (Reported): Not reported Object Speed (Assessed): 4-14 mph Object Shape (Reported): Abnormally shaped Object Shape (Assessed): Balloon shaped Reporter: Unknown Data Type: Infrared Reported Behavior: Floating Assessed Behavior: The object did not demonstrate anomalous performance characteristics. Confidence: High confidence that the object did not demonstrate anomalous performance characteristics. High confidence that the object was consistent with a cluster of fully and partially inflated balloons. Performance Characteristics: Object Altitude, Flight Path, and Speed: AARO assesses with moderate confidence that the object's altitude was between 850-2,200 feet and that the object was moving at 4-14 miles per hour (mph), due to the variability in both historical and real-time wind data. Observable Characteristics and Attribution: Shape: The shapes of fully and partially inflated balloons—as well as dangling strings—are visible in several instances in the video. Attribution: AARO assesses with high confidence that the object is consistent with a cluster of fully and partially inflated…

Why was this case declassified?

This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. The originating source document is linked on this page so the citation chain is auditable.

AARO Resolutions

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AARO Resolutions Released to the public domain through The Black Vault, this document details the resolution of the Al Taqaddum Object case by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). The case involved an unidentified object observed above Al Taqaddum Air Base, Iraq, on October 23, 2017.

Date: JUL 17 · 2026
Release: Declassified · U.S. public record (FOIA)
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What was AARO Resolutions about?: AARO Resolutions Released to the public domain through The Black Vault, this document details the resolution of the Al Taqaddum Object case by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). The case involved an unidentified object observed above Al Taqaddum Air Base, Iraq, on October 23, 2017.
Why was this case declassified?: This material entered the public record through the U.S. declassification and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process. Storyflo narrates it directly from the public release.

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