022_SASC_Transcript_2023.pdf

Stenographic Transcript 
Before the 
Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities 
COMMITTEE ON  
ARMED SERVICES 
UNITED STATES SENATE 
HEARING TO RECEIVE TESTIMONY ON 
THE MISSION, ACTIVITIES, OVERSIGHT, AND BUDGET OF 
THE ALL-DOMAIN ANOMALY RESOLUTION OFFICE 
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 
Washington, D.C. 
ALDERSON COURT REPORTING 
1111 14TH STREET NW 
SUITE 1050 
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005 
(202) 289-2260
www.aldersonreporting.com 
All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office
Chief of Staff, AARO
Authority: FY24 NDAA, now codified at 44 U.S.C. 2107
Date: 2/6/2025
Released in Full: X
Case Number: 330U…

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HEARING TO RECEIVE TESTIMONY ON THE
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MISSION, ACTIVITIES, OVERSIGHT, AND BUDGET OF THE
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ALL-DOMAIN ANOMALY RESOLUTION OFFICE
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Wednesday, April 19, 2023
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U.S. Senate
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Subcommittee on Emerging
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Threats and Capabilities
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Committee on Armed Services
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Washington, D.C.
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The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 11:08 a.m.
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in Room SR-232A, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon.
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Kirsten E. Gillibrand, chairwoman of the subcommittee,
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presiding.
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Subcommittee Members Present:  Senators Gillibrand
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[pre…

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OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, U.S.
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SENATOR FROM NEW YORK
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Senator Gillibrand:  The hearing will come to order.
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I would first like to thank our witness, Dr. Sean
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Kirkpatrick, for testifying here and in today's earlier
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closed session, and for his long and distinguished career
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both in the intelligence community and in the Department of
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Defense.
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Dr. Kirkpatrick is the director of the All-Domain
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Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO.  Congress established
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this office in law to get to the botto…

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in the features and performance characteristics of many
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objects observed by our highly-trained service members
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operating top of the line military equipment.
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We learned that for at least the past eight years
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military pilots frequently encountered unknown objects in
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controlled airspace off both the East and West Coasts,
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across the continental United States, in test and training
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areas and ranges.
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We do not know where they are -- they come from, who
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made them, or how they operate.  As former Deputy Secretary
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research and development necessary to support a serious
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investigation.  It took a letter to Secretary Austin from
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Senator Rubio and me and 14 other senators to get the office
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temporary relief for the current fiscal year.
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In this hearing I intend to probe a series of specific
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issues.  In the recent incidents where multiple objects were
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shot down over North America it seemed that Pentagon
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leadership did not turn to AARO office to play a leading
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role in advising the combatant commander.
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We need to know whethe…

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disclosed that filters on radar systems were adjusted to
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allow for detection and tracking of diverse sets of objects
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for the first time.  While opening the aperture can overload
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the real-time analytic process we cannot keep turning a
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blind eye to surveillance data that is critical to detecting
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and tracking UAP.
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We need to know whether Dr. Kirkpatrick could achieve
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the necessary control over sensor filters and the storage
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and access to raw surveillance data to find UAP anomalies.
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Finally, one of the tasks C…

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STATEMENT OF HON. JONI ERNST, U.S. SENATOR FROM IOWA
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Senator Ernst:  Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you,
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Dr. Kirkpatrick, for your testimony today.  I will keep
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these remarks very brief so that we have maximum time for
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your briefing.
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The recent downing of the Chinese surveillance balloon
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and three other objects underscores the need for domain
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awareness.  Adversaries like China and Russia are working to
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hold U.S. interests, including our homeland, at risk.  That
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is why your testimony is so important and …

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surveille or attack us.
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Finally, we need to ensure efficient interagency
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coordination.  Multiple elements of the DOD and IC own a
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piece of this mission.  To add value, AARO's efforts cannot
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be redundant with others.
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Thank you again.  We look forward to your testimony.
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Senator Gillibrand:  Dr. Kirkpatrick, you can give your
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testimony.
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Page determined to be Unclassified
Reviewed by Chief of Staff, AARO
IAW FY24 NDAA, Section 1841(a)(1)(C)
Date: 2/6/2025
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