AARO_Al_Taqaddam_Case_Resolution_Final.pdf

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All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) 
U.S. Department of War 
Case: “The Al Taqaddum Object” 
Case Resolution | 8 September 2025 
AARO Assessment and Case Status 
AARO assesses with high confidence that the 
Al Taqaddum object did not exhibit anomalous 
behavior or capabilities.  AARO assesses with 
high confidence that the object was consistent 
with a cluster of fully and partially inflated 
balloons (Figure 1). 
Case Overview 
On October 23, 2017, an infrared (IR) sensor 
aboard an aerostat force protection dirigible 
(blimp) operating at 2,700 feet abo…

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Performance Characteristics 
Object Altitude, Flight Path, and Speed:  AARO assesses with moderate confidence that the 
object’s altitude was between 850-2,200 feet and that the object was moving at 4-14 miles per 
hour (mph), due to the variability in both historical and real-time wind data.  AARO assesses 
with high confidence that the object was traveling within range of wind speed in an east-to-west 
direction using locational data from the blimp. 
Observable Characteristics and Attribution 
Shape:  The shapes of fully and partially inflated balloons—as well …

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Figure 1:  Stills of the UAP from the 17-minute video. Aerostat deployed at Al Taqaddum Air Base.  The 
balloons appear as bulbous, rounded shapes; similarly, the strings and deflated balloons can be seen 
hanging below.  These images were assigned different color temperatures to aid in visualization.    
AARO is not a member of the Intelligence Community.  This AARO information report should not be 
considered finished intelligence.  It may contain references to finished intelligence reports, 
information provided by AARO’s coordinating interagency partners, or …