AARO

AARO stands for the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, a United States Department of Defense organization created to investigate and resolve reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) across all domains, including air, space, land, sea, and cyberspace. The office was established by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 and began operations in 2022, succeeding the UAP Task Force. It operates within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security.

The mission of AARO is to detect, identify, and attribute UAP, standardize data collection and reporting, and coordinate investigations across DoD components and other intelligence and federal agencies. It aims to improve safety and security by determining whether UAP present flight safety risks, adversarial technological capabilities, or other hazards, and to provide structured analyses that inform decision makers. The office also seeks to establish repeatable processes for information sharing, data governance, and cross‑agency collaboration, while protecting national security and sensitive sources and methods.

Organization and oversight: AARO is led by a director appointed by the Secretary of Defense and includes a deputy director and multidisciplinary teams. It collaborates with military services, other federal agencies, the intelligence community, and, where appropriate, international partners or allies.

Reporting and transparency: AARO provides periodic updates to Congress and releases unclassified information publicly when feasible, balancing transparency with the need to protect sensitive information.