Secret Pentagon UFO Study Tied to Nevada

A little-known Pentagon program investigating UFOs and other unexplained phenomena traces its roots back to Nevada and the late U.S. Sen. Harry Reid.

In 2007, Reid, alongside Senators Daniel Inouye of Hawaii and Ted Stevens of Alaska, helped launch a classified effort to study aerial anomalies and related mysteries. The initiative, known as the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP), was run through the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Nevada aerospace businessman Robert Bigelow, whose company oversaw much of the research, was awarded the contract. At its height, the program employed nearly 50 scientists working in Nevada and operated with a budget of approximately $22 million.

While often associated with UFO sightings, the program’s scope extended beyond unidentified craft. Researchers also examined a range of unusual phenomena, including reports tied to Skinwalker Ranch and other unexplained events.

The effort lasted only a few years, but reflected Reid’s long-standing interest in the subject. That interest reportedly dates back to the 1980s, when the senator first discussed UFO-related topics with investigative journalist George Knapp.

Throughout his career, Reid maintained that the origins of mysterious aerial craft, such as those reported near Area 51, remain unknown, underscoring the need for serious study.

Though AAWSAP has since ended, it helped lay the groundwork for continued government interest in unidentified aerial phenomena, a subject that has gained renewed attention in recent years.