Luis Elizondo
Luis Elizondo
Former Director, Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP)
US Department of Defense
Former Counterintelligence Special Agent, US Army
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Luis Elizondo is a former US Department of Defense official who served as the director of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), a Pentagon program that investigated unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) from 2007 to 2012 with a budget of approximately $22 million. Prior to his role with AATIP, Elizondo had a career in counterintelligence, serving as a Special Agent with the US Army and later in various intelligence roles within the Department of Defense.
Elizondo resigned from the DoD in October 2017 in protest of what he described as excessive secrecy and internal resistance to UAP investigation. His resignation letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis stated that "bureaucratic challenges and inflexible mindsets" were impeding the program's mission. Shortly after his resignation, he joined To The Stars Academy of Arts and Science (TTSA), a private organization founded by musician Tom DeLonge, where he continued to advocate for government transparency on UAP matters.
Elizondo's departure coincided with the December 2017 New York Times article that publicly revealed the existence of AATIP and published the FLIR1, GIMBAL, and GOFAST videos. Since then, Elizondo has become one of the most prominent public advocates for UAP disclosure, giving hundreds of media interviews and contributing to legislative efforts that resulted in the establishment of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). His claims about the program's findings and his own government role have been both endorsed by colleagues and contested by some DoD officials.
On-Record Interviews
CBS 60 Minutes segment featuring Elizondo discussing AATIP and UAP sightings. Bill Whitaker reporting. August 2021.
Extended interview on News Nation's coverage of UAP developments, including discussion of AATIP findings and government secrecy. 2023.
On-Record Statements
"My personal belief is that there is very compelling evidence that we may not be alone."
CNN interview, December 2017
"I resigned because I was told to stop doing my job. I was told to ignore certain national security implications regarding the UAP issue."
Multiple media interviews, 2017-2018
"The five observables: instantaneous acceleration, hypersonic velocity, low observability, trans-medium travel, and positive lift without visible means of propulsion. These are characteristics we documented repeatedly."
Describing AATIP's documented UAP characteristics
"We found a lot. It was enough to know we had a valid national security concern."
New York Times interview, December 2017
Role in AATIP
The Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program was established in 2007 at the behest of then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, with support from Senators Ted Stevens and Daniel Inouye. The program received approximately $22 million in funding and was administered through the Defense Intelligence Agency. Elizondo has stated that the program investigated military UAP encounters, developed analytical frameworks for evaluating sightings, and coordinated with aerospace contractors on research into exotic propulsion and materials.
The Nimitz 2004 encounter was among the cases investigated by AATIP, according to Elizondo and corroborated by the December 2017 New York Times reporting. Elizondo has stated that the program identified recurring characteristics, which he terms "the five observables," in credible military UAP reports.
It should be noted that the DoD's characterization of Elizondo's role has varied. In 2019, a Pentagon spokesperson stated that Elizondo "had no responsibilities" with AATIP, a claim Elizondo and his supporters have disputed with documentary evidence including his resignation letter and testimonials from colleagues. The Inspector General report in 2023 confirmed the existence of AATIP and Elizondo's involvement with the program.