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How Go Fast Became a Public UAP Case

The path from a 2015 Navy encounter to official public release shaped how the Go Fast video entered UAP debate.

On this page

  • 2015 Navy recording context
  • Media circulation before confirmation
  • Pentagon release and public framing
Preview for How Go Fast Became a Public UAP Case

Introduction

The Go Fast video — one of the three most discussed infrared‑imaging clips recorded by U.S. Navy aviators in 2015 — did not emerge in public consciousness in a single moment. Its trail from a classified sensor recording to a publicly verifiable piece of military documentation is a story of leaks, advocacy, institutional verification, and a later Pentagon release that reframed how the footage entered the broader unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) discourse. This timeline traces key steps in that journey, highlighting when and how the clip first became known, circulated informally, and was formally acknowledged by the U.S. Department of Defense. [Aviation Pros]aviationpros.comAviation Pros Pentagon Formally Releases Navy UFO Videos | Aviation ProsAviation ProsPentagon Formally Releases Navy UFO Videos | Aviation ProsApril 29, 2020…Published: April 29, 2020

Timeline illustration 1

2015: Recording and Immediate Aftermath

  • January 2015: A U.S. Navy F/A‑18 Super Hornet from the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt captured the Go Fast video during training exercises off the U.S. East Coast. The infrared clip shows a small, fast‑moving object skimming near the ocean surface as onboard sensors and pilots track its motion. [Wikimedia Commons]commons.wikimedia.orgWikimedia CommonsFile:Go Fast Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release.webm — Wikimedia CommonsJanuary 21, 2015…Published: January 21, 2015
  • Shortly after capture, the footage remained classified within military channels and was used internally in after‑action reviews and intelligence archives, without public release.

Go Fast: Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release

Channel: To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science · Views: 10.2M · Uploaded: March 2018 · Length: 2 minutes 5 seconds

Open on YouTube

Circulation Before Official Acknowledgment

  • Unofficial leaks: Like the earlier FLIR1 (2004) and Gimbal (also January 2015) clips, Go Fast began to circulate in public forums and hobbyist communities well before any government confirmation. Some sources suggest hobbyist sites and forums had access to versions of the clip prior to formal acknowledgment, though precise dates and provenance of those early copies vary. [Reddit]reddit.comThe first navy video that got leaked was NEVER supposed to happenRedditThe first navy video that got leaked was NEVER supposed to happen.September 12, 2022…Published: September 12, 2022
  • Media attention builds: By the late 2010s, civil organisations and private disclosure advocates had obtained copies. For instance, To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science (TTSA), co‑founded by musician Tom DeLonge and former intelligence personnel, published the Go Fast footage online around 2018, describing it as “official USG footage” awaiting formal release. [YouTube]youtube.comYou Tube Go Fast: Official USG Footage of UAP for Public ReleaseGo Fast: Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release - YouTubeMarch 9, 2018…Published: March 9, 2018
  • TTSA’s release came in the wake of The New York Times and other outlets reporting on previously leaked Navy UAP videos, boosting public awareness of these incidents. [Gaia]gaia.comAnother Newly Declassified Pentagon Video Shows UFO on East Coast | GaiaGaiaAnother Newly Declassified Pentagon Video Shows UFO on East Coast | GaiaMarch 13, 2018…Published: March 13, 2018

Timeline illustration 2

2019–2020: Navy Verification and Pentagon Release

  • Navy confirmation: In 2019, the U.S. Navy publicly acknowledged that the clips — including Go Fast — were genuine recordings taken by service aircraft, a critical institutional step that validated long‑circulating copies of the footage. [Aviation Pros]aviationpros.comAviation Pros Pentagon Formally Releases Navy UFO Videos | Aviation ProsAviation ProsPentagon Formally Releases Navy UFO Videos | Aviation ProsApril 29, 2020…Published: April 29, 2020
  • 27 April 2020: The Department of Defense (DoD) formally authorised the release of three declassified Navy videos, including Go Fast, Gimbal, and FLIR1, via an official press statement. The DoD emphasised that these videos had been previously circulating and that their public release was intended to “clear up any misconceptions … about whether or not the footage … was real.” [Disclosure Archives]disclosurearchives.comSource details in endnotes.
  • FOIA publication: The released Go Fast clip was posted on the Naval Air Systems Command FOIA page, making the authentic file available to the public with formal provenance. [Navy Times]navytimes.comNavy Times Pentagon releases videos of encounters between UFOs and Navy pilotsNavy TimesPentagon releases videos of encounters between UFOs and Navy pilotsApril 28, 2020…Published: April 28, 2020

The "Tic Tac" UFO: Can This Sighting Be Explained? | NOVA | PBS

Channel: NOVA PBS Official · Views: 63.5K · Uploaded: January 2025 · Length: 7 minutes

Open on YouTube

Mick West: UFOs DEBUNKED! Brian Keating’s INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast (#154)

Channel: Dr Brian Keating · Views: 23.7K · Uploaded: June 2021 · Length: 1 hour 21 minutes

Open on YouTube

Post‑2020 Visibility and Legacy

  • Wide dissemination: After the Pentagon’s confirmation, Go Fast and its companion videos became part of the standard UAP dossier frequently referenced in media, congressional hearings, and defence reporting. It is now routinely linked with official UAP transparency initiatives. [Wikipedia]WikipediaPentagon UFO videosPentagon UFO videos
  • Ongoing debate: The formal release did not resolve the object’s nature, and the video continues to be analysed and referenced in both official contexts — such as All‑domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) assessments — and public discussions about UAP phenomena.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Go Fast video was recorded in January 2015 but did not enter public military record until the Pentagon’s verified release in April 2020. [Wikimedia Commons]commons.wikimedia.orgWikimedia CommonsFile:Go Fast Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release.webm — Wikimedia CommonsJanuary 21, 2015…Published: January 21, 2015
  • Before the official DoD release, the video circulated through third‑party and media channels, particularly among UFO/UAP community sites and advocacy groups like TTSA. [YouTube]youtube.comYou Tube Go Fast: Official USG Footage of UAP for Public ReleaseGo Fast: Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release - YouTubeMarch 9, 2018…Published: March 9, 2018
  • The formal release marked a pivot from informal leaks toward authenticated documentation of the clip’s provenance and fixed its place in U.S. government‑acknowledged UAP recordings. [Disclosure Archives]disclosurearchives.comSource details in endnotes.

Timeline illustration 3

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Endnotes

  1. Source: commons.wikimedia.org
    Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AGo_Fast_Official_USG_Footage_of_UAP_for_Public_Release.webm?uselang=ru
    Source snippet

    Wikimedia CommonsFile:Go Fast Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release.webm — Wikimedia CommonsJanuary 21, 2015...

    Published: January 21, 2015

  2. Source: reddit.com
    Title: The first navy video that got leaked was NEVER supposed to happen
    Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/xcjwsc
    Source snippet

    RedditThe first navy video that got leaked was NEVER supposed to happen.September 12, 2022...

    Published: September 12, 2022

  3. Source: youtube.com
    Title: You Tube Go Fast: Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxVRg7LLaQA
    Source snippet

    Go Fast: Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release - YouTubeMarch 9, 2018...

    Published: March 9, 2018

  4. Source: gaia.com
    Title: Another Newly Declassified Pentagon Video Shows UFO on East Coast | Gaia
    Link: https://www.gaia.com/article/new-ufo-evidence-released
    Source snippet

    GaiaAnother Newly Declassified Pentagon Video Shows UFO on East Coast | GaiaMarch 13, 2018...

    Published: March 13, 2018

  5. Source: Wikipedia
    Title: Pentagon UFO videos
    Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagon_UFO_videos

  6. Source: uapdiscovery.discourse.group
    Title: Fighter pilots fro
    Link: https://uapdiscovery.discourse.group/t/navy-go-fast-video/59
    Source snippet

    Navy GO FAST Video - UAP Case Analysis - UAP Discovery ForumMarch 14, 2025 — NAVY GO FAST VIDEO UAP Case Analysis uap, ufo, aviation, nav...

    Published: March 14, 2025

  7. Source: commons.wikimedia.org
    Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AGo_Fast_Official_USG_Footage_of_UAP_for_Public_Release.webm?uselang=fr
    Source snippet

    wikimedia.orgFile:Go Fast Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release.webm — Wikimedia CommonsJanuary 21, 2015 — FILE:GO FAST OFFICIAL...

    Published: January 21, 2015

  8. Source: commons.wikimedia.org
    Title: File:Go Fast Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release.webm
    Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AGo_Fast_Official_USG_Footage_of_UAP_for_Public_Release.webm?uselang=de
    Source snippet

    wikimedia.orgFile:Go Fast Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release.webm – Wikimedia CommonsJanuary 21, 2015 — FILE:GO FAST OFFICIAL...

    Published: January 21, 2015

  9. Source: commons.wikimedia.org
    Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AGo_Fast_Official_USG_Footage_of_UAP_for_Public_Release.webm
    Source snippet

    wikimedia.orgFile:Go Fast Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release.webm - Wikimedia CommonsJanuary 21, 2015 — FILE:GO FAST OFFICIAL...

    Published: January 21, 2015

  10. Source: commons.wikimedia.org
    Title: File:Go Fast Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release.webm
    Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AGo_Fast_Official_USG_Footage_of_UAP_for_Public_Release.webm?uselang=zh
    Source snippet

    wikimedia.orgFile:Go Fast Official USG Footage of UAP for Public Release.webm - Wikimedia CommonsJanuary 21, 2015 — FILE:GO FAST OFFICIAL...

    Published: January 21, 2015

  11. Source: youtube.com
    Title: The SHOCKING Math Error Behind Viral UFO Videos | Mick West
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypfbhfEXnBo
    Source snippet

    Mick West: UFOs DEBUNKED! Brian Keating's INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast (#154)...

  12. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Mick West: UFOs DEBUNKED! Brian Keating’s INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast (#154)
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJtTgIKDUZw
    Source snippet

    The "Tic Tac" UFO: Can This Sighting Be Explained? | NOVA | PBS...

  13. Source: youtube.com
    Title: The “Tic Tac” UFO: Can This Sighting Be Explained? | NOVA | PBS
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQs2NL7hcDA
    Source snippet

    Not As They Seem - Mick West on UFOs, Conspiracy Theories, and Pseudoscience...

  14. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Not As They Seem
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciopi2r7j-k

  15. Source: aviationpros.com
    Title: Aviation Pros Pentagon Formally Releases Navy UFO Videos | Aviation Pros
    Link: https://www.aviationpros.com/aircraft-maintenance-technology/aircraft-technology/defense/news/21135874/pentagon-formally-releases-navy-ufo-videos
    Source snippet

    Aviation ProsPentagon Formally Releases Navy UFO Videos | Aviation ProsApril 29, 2020...

    Published: April 29, 2020

  16. Source: disclosurearchives.com
    Link: https://www.disclosurearchives.com/events/dod-releases-three-videos-2020

  17. Source: navytimes.com
    Title: Navy Times Pentagon releases videos of encounters between UFOs and Navy pilots
    Link: https://www.navytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2020/04/27/pentagon-releases-videos-of-encounters-between-ufos-and-navy-pilots/
    Source snippet

    Navy TimesPentagon releases videos of encounters between UFOs and Navy pilotsApril 28, 2020...

    Published: April 28, 2020

  18. Source: navytimes.com
    Title: (Do D scre
    Link: https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2018/03/13/video-shows-apparent-encounter-between-navy-pilot-and-ufo/
    Source snippet

    Video shows apparent encounter between Navy pilot and UFOMarch 13, 2018 — VIDEO SHOWS APPARENT ENCOUNTER BETWEEN NAVY PILOT AND UFO By Ni...

    Published: March 13, 2018

Additional References

  1. Source: ufotransparency.com
    Link: https://ufotransparency.com/files/decade-2020s-aaro-gofast-case-resolution-2025-aaro-gofast-case-resolution-card-methodology-final
    Source snippet

    Department of Defense · 2025 · UFO TransparencyFebruary 6, 2025 — [Button: ✕]← FilesDisclosure Index/01 US DISCLOSURE/FILES/2020S/AARO Re...

    Published: February 6, 2025

  2. Source: ufo-timeline.com
    Link: https://www.ufo-timeline.com/uss-roosevelt-uap-incidents-gimbal-ufo-and-other-strange-objects/
    Source snippet

    USS Roosevelt UAP incidents: Gimbal UFO and other strange objects | UFO TimelineNovember 25, 2019 — USS ROOSEVELT UAP INCIDENTS: GIMBAL U...

    Published: November 25, 2019

  3. Source: cbsnews.com
    Title: Pentagon confirms 3 videos showing “unidentified aerial phenomena”
    Link: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pentagon-videos-unidentied-aerial-phenomena-ufo/
    Source snippet

    CBS NewsApril 29, 2020 — PENTAGON FORMALLY RELEASES 3 NAVY VIDEOS SHOWING "UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENA" By Stefan Becket Stefan Becket...

    Published: April 29, 2020

  4. Source: disclosuremonitor.com
    Link: https://disclosuremonitor.com/articles/pentagon-officially-releases-uap-videos-explained
    Source snippet

    April 27, 2020 — PENTAGON OFFICIALLY RELEASES UAP VIDEOS: WHAT THE FOOTAGE SHOWS AND WHAT IT DOES NOT...

    Published: April 27, 2020

  5. Source: theufodatabase.com
    Link: https://theufodatabase.com/timeline/uss-theodore-roosevelt-go-fast-ufo
    Source snippet

    The USS Theodore Roosevelt--among the US Navy's largest nuclear-powered aircraft carriers...

  6. Source: britannica.com
    Title: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Sighting | Britannica
    Link: https://www.britannica.com/video/video-of-unidentified-aerial-phenomenon-off-East-Coast-of-United-States/-287330
    Source snippet

    MILITARY VIDEO OF UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENA (UAP) * * * Image: Declassified U.S. military video of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP...

  7. Source: theufodatabase.com
    Title: uss theodore roosevelt uap videos
    Link: https://theufodatabase.com/incidents/uss-theodore-roosevelt-uap-videos
    Source snippet

    USS Theodore Roosevelt UAPs | The UFO DatabaseUSS THEODORE ROOSEVELT UAPS IMAGE: SHARE 2014-2015 Image: Play Image: Pause 5-minute listen...

  8. Source: iufodb.com
    Link: https://www.iufodb.com/gofast/
    Source snippet

    UFO Video 2015June 30, 2024 — GOFAST UFO VIDEO 2015 Updated: 2024-06-30T21:14:27.000:00...

    Published: June 30, 2024

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