A private company exhibiting at an Army aviation summit claimed responsibility for a series of drone and "UFO" sightings that alarmed New Jersey residents last year, according to a report in The New York Post.
At the Army's UAS and Launched Effects Summit at Fort Rucker this August, the contractor gave a live demonstration of a manned aircraft that impressed attendees with its unconventional design and flight pattern, a source told The Post.
After the display, one company employee reportedly said to a small group, "You remember that big UFO scare in New Jersey last year? Well, that was us."
The employee claimed the company had flown the same craft over New Jersey in November 2024 while testing its systems under a private government contract. They said public notification was not required because the tests were conducted under government authorization.
Video shared with the Post showed the roughly 20-foot, four-winged craft maneuvering low above the trees as soldiers watched.
A military veteran who attended the Fort Rucker event said the vehicle moved in ways that appeared unfamiliar and difficult to track.
"It feels like it's a UFO because it defies what you're expecting to see," the source said, describing an "uncanny valley feeling" as the aircraft banked and seemed to vanish from view during turns.
The demonstration reportedly lasted about 30 minutes inside Fort Rucker's controlled airspace.
All participants were cleared in advance, and organizers barred any drones or components made in China, the source added.
"It would definitely have to be cleared," the attendee said. "Somebody was 100% in charge of coordinating that."
The company's aircraft, they noted, could easily be mistaken for an unidentified object by civilians who might see it from a distance.
Fort Rucker, home to the Army's Aviation Branch, did not respond to requests for comment.
Reports of mysterious aerial activity in New Jersey began Nov. 13, 2024, near Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County and continued into early December.
That same month, the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI, jointly indicated that many of the incidents involved hobbyists, recreational pilots, or private operators rather than military or extraterrestrial craft.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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