FAA Officially Adopts "UAP" Terminology in Air Traffic Control Manual
The Federal Aviation Administration has replaced "UFO" with "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena" (UAP) throughout its core air traffic control manual, formalizing a shift in federal nomenclature first signaled by the Department of Defense and intelligence agencies.
The update aligns with recent U.S. code and was documented by Americans for Safe Aerospace, founded by a former Navy pilot.
Key Facts:
- Change affects official FAA procedures for controllers
- Reflects broader government standardization on UAP language
- Comes amid increased Congressional oversight of airspace incidents
- No change to reporting requirements or protocols — terminology update only
Context: The terminology shift from "UFO" to "UAP" signals an administrative formalization of what agencies have informally acknowledged: unidentified objects in controlled airspace warrant systematic documentation, regardless of origin. The change removes colloquial language that historically discouraged serious reporting.
Whether this represents genuine procedural evolution or semantic repositioning remains an open question. Air traffic controllers have long reported unusual sightings; what changes now is the official framework for doing so.
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Source: The Black Vault