A reported encounter involving enormous glowing orange orbs, smaller moving lights and a military helicopter has renewed questions about what US intelligence personnel observed near an undisclosed military installation in late 2025. An FBI interview record released in May 2026 documented the witness’s account, but the objects’ identities remain unknown.
Now, the possibility of further congressional scrutiny has brought the incident back into focus. Representative Eric Burlison has said he is willing to explore whether intelligence community personnel could testify publicly about the encounter, raising fresh questions about the evidence available to lawmakers and what the public may eventually learn.
FBI Report Describes Unusual Orange Orb Encounter Near US Military Installation
The reported incident centres on observations attributed to a senior US intelligence officer during a mission in late 2025 near an undisclosed military installation on the West Coast.
According to the FBI interview record, two large illuminated objects appeared alongside the helicopter. The officer described their appearance in striking terms, saying they were:
“orange with a white or yellow center, and emitted light in all directions.”
The witness also reportedly observed numerous smaller objects moving around the larger lights. These smaller objects appeared to swarm in different directions, while one oval-shaped object displaying orange, white and yellow light seemed to split into two.
The combination of multiple illuminated objects, their reported movements and their proximity to the helicopter made the encounter notable. However, the available account does not independently establish the objects’ physical composition, exact movements or origin.
The FBI record documents what the intelligence officer reportedly described. It does not, by itself, provide a scientific explanation for the observations.
Following the UAP Claims
UFO whistleblower claims continue to attract attention, although allegations about extraterrestrial encounters remain unverified. For more context, explore our David Grusch alleged UFO crash claims report.
Military Fighter Jets Reportedly Tried to Identify the UFOs
The encounter became more significant when the account described efforts to identify the objects using military aircraft.
According to the report, fighter jets were deployed in an attempt to investigate the unidentified lights. The effort reportedly failed to establish what the objects were.
The witness also said the orbs subsequently began “chasing” the fighter jets, adding another unusual detail to the account.
Reflecting on the experience, the intelligence officer reportedly said:
“We were virtually speechless after these observations.”
The reported military response has helped draw attention to the case, particularly because the account involves intelligence personnel and aircraft attempting to investigate an unidentified phenomenon.
Nevertheless, the failure to identify an object does not establish that it possesses technology beyond human capabilities. Without additional evidence, including original recordings and relevant technical information, the reported movements cannot be conclusively explained.
Does the UFO Mothership Theory Have Supporting Evidence?
The term “mothership” has been used to describe the reported arrangement of larger illuminated objects and smaller lights moving around them. However, it is not a verified identification of an aircraft or spacecraft.
The witness’s account describes smaller objects appearing around larger lights, but that observation alone does not prove that a larger craft released or controlled the smaller ones.
Similarly, the reported splitting of an orange orb does not establish whether a physical object separated into two, the appearance of the light changed or another phenomenon was involved.
For now, the most defensible conclusion is that an FBI interview record documents an unusual encounter as described by a witness. The identities of the objects, their relationship to one another and the explanation for their reported movements remain unresolved.
Why Eric Burlison Is Considering Public UFO Testimony
The possibility of public testimony comes amid continuing congressional interest in unidentified anomalous phenomena, commonly known as UAPs.
The term covers observations that have not been adequately identified. It does not, on its own, indicate that an observation involves extraterrestrial life or technology.
According to reporting by the New York Post, some witnesses connected to the orange-orb encounter have already met privately with members of Congress. However, not all video evidence associated with the incident has reportedly been provided.
Burlison’s comments indicate that he is willing to explore whether intelligence community personnel could appear publicly. They do not confirm that a hearing has been approved or that a date has been scheduled for this particular case.
The distinction between private briefings and public testimony matters. Witnesses may be able to share information with authorised lawmakers in a classified setting that cannot be disclosed during an open hearing. Even if public testimony takes place, every recording or operational detail may not immediately become available.
The central questions are whether the witnesses can speak publicly, what evidence they can provide and whether relevant information remains classified.
Previous Congressional Hearings Have Examined UAP Transparency
The orange-orb case is part of a wider congressional effort to examine government records, witness accounts and disclosure procedures concerning unidentified aerial observations.
On September 9, 2025, the House Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets held a hearing titled Restoring Public Trust Through UAP Transparency and Whistleblower Protection.
Witnesses included UAP observers, a US Air Force veteran and journalist George Knapp. The hearing examined government disclosure, access to relevant records and concerns about protections for people reporting UAP-related information.
In March 2026, the House Oversight Committee’s task force continued its inquiry by requesting additional UAP video records from the Department of War. The request referred to information provided by whistleblowers and sought footage relating to several reported incidents.
These developments demonstrate that congressional efforts to obtain UAP-related evidence extend beyond the orange-orb encounter.
For the newly reported case, however, further public scrutiny remains a possibility rather than a confirmed event.
US Government Releases UAP Records Through PURSUE Programme
The discussion has also coincided with a broader federal initiative to release UAP-related material.
On May 8, 2026, the Department of War announced the initial release of previously unseen UAP-related files through the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, known as PURSUE.
The department said the initiative involved multiple federal agencies, including the White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Department of Energy, the FBI, NASA and the department’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office.
Further releases followed on May 22, June 12, July 10 and August 7, 2026. The official PURSUE portal provides a searchable collection of released documents, videos and other records.
The programme gives researchers and members of the public an opportunity to examine available government material rather than relying exclusively on descriptions of information that may remain classified.
However, the existence of a disclosure programme does not mean every reported encounter has been explained or that all potentially relevant evidence is publicly accessible.
For the orange-orb incident, the distinction remains between a government record documenting a reported sighting and a scientific determination of what was observed.
What Eric Burlison Previously Said About Glowing UFOs
Burlison, a Missouri Republican, has previously discussed classified footage of unidentified objects that he said he could not explain.
In April 2026, he described what he had seen on his podcast, emphasising the unusual appearance and movements of some objects.
“I have seen videos of objects. I can’t tell you exactly what they are,” Burlison said on his podcast. “I say that because I’m saying I saw it, and I can’t tell what they are, and neither could the people that filmed them. It’s something that’s wild like, you know, defies logic, the way in which they operate.”
He also described what he said were glowing objects:
“What you’re often seeing is these glowing type orbs. They look like balls of plasma that seem to be stationary, and then sometimes they’ll just move at incredible speeds,” Burlison added. “I don’t know what that is, and I don’t think that our intelligence community knows what these things are.”
These comments reflect Burlison’s assessment of footage he says he has viewed. They do not establish that the objects were plasma, extraterrestrial vehicles or any other specific type of phenomenon.
The Separate MQ-9 Reaper Drone Incident
Burlison has also discussed footage presented during a 2025 congressional hearing that reportedly showed an MQ-9 Reaper drone tracking an orb-shaped object while another MQ-9 launched a Hellfire missile at it.
According to the description of the footage, the object appeared to continue moving after the apparent impact.
That incident is separate from the late-2025 orange-orb encounter near the West Coast military installation. There is no established basis in the available information to treat the objects in the two cases as the same phenomenon.
Burlison’s wider statements about UFOs have also included speculative claims, including suggestions that the Smithsonian Institution is concealing evidence of giant humans and that multiple kinds of aliens may exist. These claims have not been established as scientific findings and do not explain the orange-orb encounter.
Avi Loeb Sees Value in Further Investigation of Orange Orbs
The New York Post also reported that astrophysicist Avi Loeb, who leads a UAP scientific advisory initiative, sees value in investigating the encounter directly.
According to the newspaper, Loeb suggested that the advisory council could visit the location to gather data and assess the nature of the objects.
Such an investigation could potentially help determine whether the reported observations have a conventional explanation or warrant further scientific study.
A site visit would not automatically resolve what happened in 2025. Investigators would need reliable information about the original encounter, including its location, timing, recordings and other available evidence. Their ability to assess the observations independently would also depend on what information remains accessible.
What Happens Next in the US Congress UFO Investigation?
The immediate question is whether Burlison’s willingness to explore public testimony leads to a formal congressional invitation.
If the witnesses appear, lawmakers may seek further information about the helicopter encounter, the reported military response, the objects’ movements and the existence of additional video evidence.
The release of further records could also help researchers evaluate the incident independently. However, no confirmed hearing date for this particular case has been established in the available reporting.
The following timeline summarises the key developments relevant to the case and the wider UAP transparency effort.
| Date | Event |
| Late 2025 | An intelligence officer reportedly observes orange orbs and smaller moving lights near an undisclosed West Coast military installation. |
| September 9, 2025 | The House Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets holds a hearing on UAP transparency and whistleblower protection. |
| April 2026 | Burlison discusses unidentified objects and glowing orbs on his podcast. |
| March 2026 | The House Oversight Committee’s task force requests additional UAP video records from the Department of War. |
| May 8, 2026 | The Department of War announces the initial release of UAP files through PURSUE. |
| May 22, June 12, July 10 and August 7, 2026 | Additional UAP-related file releases follow. |
| May 2026 | An FBI interview record describing the reported orange-orb encounter is released. |
| October 10, 2026 | The New York Post reports that intelligence witnesses could potentially testify before Congress about the encounter. |
| October 13, 2026 | The case remains unresolved, with no confirmed hearing date identified in the available reporting. |
Conclusion: Orange-Orb UFO Encounter Remains Unexplained
The reported orange-orb encounter has attracted renewed attention because it combines an intelligence officer’s account, an attempted military identification and the possibility of further congressional scrutiny.
Eric Burlison’s willingness to explore public testimony could create an opportunity for lawmakers to ask additional questions and seek access to further evidence. The government’s ongoing UAP disclosure programme may also help researchers examine records connected to unidentified sightings.
But the central issue remains unresolved: the available account does not establish what the objects were, whether the larger lights were connected to the smaller ones or whether the encounter involved technology beyond conventional explanations.
Until additional evidence supports a more definitive conclusion, the “mothership” description should be treated as a label for the reported formation, not a confirmed identification of an extraterrestrial craft.
Another Mystery in the Sky
Unidentified lights reported in different locations raise questions about how witnesses interpret unusual aerial observations. Our Haywood County strange lights video report explores another reported sighting.
Source and Research Disclaimer
This article has been prepared through research based on the publicly available sources listed below, using information available as of October 13, 2026. Reported sightings, witness statements, government records and attributed claims have been distinguished where possible. The article does not imply independent verification beyond what the cited material supports. The identities and origins of the reported objects remain unresolved.
Sources
- New York Post: US intelligence witnesses to the 2025 UFO orb incident could testify before Congress
- US Department of War: Initial release of UAP files, May 8, 2026
- US Department of War: Official PURSUE UAP records portal
- US Department of War: Second release of UAP files, May 22, 2026
- US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: September 9, 2025, UAP transparency hearing
- US House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: March 2026 request for additional UAP video records
Featured Image Credit: Ben Todela / Pexels
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