Synopsis: WITNESS was driving east on Interstate 94, approximately 3-4 miles south of Miles City, Montana. It was 18:30 (local mountain time) on Sunday, November 4, 2012 when WITNESS observed in the sky what appeared to be two blinking lights heading slightly different directions. After 20-30 seconds of observation, WITNESS dismissed the lights as commercial aircraft at high altitude. However, about 2 minutes later, WITNESS then looked slightly left outside his car window and noticed a very bright, light-blue light. The light was traveling very quickly downward toward the ground at an angle between 5 to 20 degrees at a slight northeasterly direction (essentially towards the eastbound interstate upon which the WITNESS was driving) and then within 1-2 seconds, the object very fluidly and smoothly turned out of its steep dive, leveled off just parallel to the ground, and disappeared immediately after this maneuver.
Evidence Submitted: Original sketch.
Initial Action: This UFO case was opened as a AN1.
Investigation and Findings: According to the WITNESS statement, Investigator determined the WITNESS was looking directly at the Frank Wiley Air Field just outside Miles City, incorporating a portion of Montana known as the Hayes Military Operations Area (MOA). In fact, the Hayes MOA includes a large swath of northeastern Montana. Further, Investigator found that in 2010, Montana State Sen. Ryan Zinke (R), a retired Navy Seal with experience deploying drones in Iraq, directed a project focused on bringing unmanned aerial systems to Montana. Additional research confirmed that unmanned aerial systems are now deployed in the skies over Montana. Investigator found a military Memorandum of Understanding identifying Miles City as the only Dispatch Center for the Hayes MOA in Montana. Of special interest is the fact that the Miles City area has recently been designated as a military “Lights Out” Operations area. In other words, aircraft and other aerial systems being tested will not necessarily have any aviation lights or even normal exterior aircraft lighting.
Investigator called and confirmed, with the Ellsworth AFB (Rapid City SD) Flight Scheduler, that Department of Homeland Security drones are being flown along the Canada/Montana border, but not in the Hayes MOA. The Flight Scheduler also explained that these drones are incapable of flying in the manner described by WITNESS. Although it is possible other unmanned aerial systems are being tested by the military/industrial complex, there is no proof this is taking place over the area the WITNESS reported his sighting. So, even though unmanned aerial systems are deployed in the skies over Montana, the area they are officially allowed to operate does not include most of Montana—only the portion along the Canadian border. If other unusual testing flights are taking place in the Miles City MOA, the Ellsworth AFB Flight Scheduler responsible for flight operations in that MOA claims no knowledge of it.
Investigator called the Miles City air port dispatcher, an employee of the Bureau of Land Management who operates the Frank Wiley field, and asked about flight operations in that area. This air field does not have an Air Traffic Controller. Rather, landing lights are activated by incoming pilots dialing up an automated frequency to initiate the runway lighting sequence. However, according to the dispatcher, this lighting sequence does not approximate in any way what WITNESS observed. Of interest though is the fact that the Air Field is situated on hills, following along the Yellowstone River, running adjacent to the Interstate. According to the WITNESS, the object “disappeared” after its diving maneuver. IF the object was operating around this air field, it may have merely been obscured by these hills. Investigators conducted multiple interviews with the witness and was cleared as credible.
Although a drone cannot approximate what the WITNESS observed, there are reports that the US Military/Industrial complex is testing plasma energy weaponry that could operate much as the WITNESS described. A recent report details that the US Army is developing a weapon using dynamic pulse detonation (DPD), a short but intense laser pulse creating a ball of plasma It is possible secret testing of a new plasma weapon is taking place in the Hayes MOA, but Investigator is unable to determine any reliable explanation for what WITNESS reported. Case is closed as Undetermined.
Object Details: Unresolved.
