The Nimitz Encounter (2004)
The Nimitz Encounter is one of the most well-known and widely discussed UFO incidents in recent history. The event took place in November 2004, when the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, off the coast of California, encountered a series of anomalous aerial objects over several days. This incident involved multiple military personnel, including fighter pilots and radar operators, and has been the subject of much speculation within the UFO community.
One of the key figures in the incident is Commander David Fravor, an F/A-18 fighter pilot who was scrambled to intercept the objects. Fravor reported seeing a “tic-tac” shaped object that seemed to accelerate and maneuver in ways that defied the capabilities of any known aircraft. He described the object as “not behaving by the normal laws of physics” and noted it had no visible exhaust plume.
Fravor’s account has fueled much discussion and scrutiny, leading to renewed interest in UFO phenomena. Media coverage of the incident has been extensive, prompting greater curiosity about the government’s investigations into unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP).
The event involved several vessels and aircraft from Carrier Strike Group 11, including the USS Princeton, VAW-117, VMFA-232, VFA-41, and the USS Louisville. The object was described as smooth, solid white, and featureless—roughly 40 feet in length, without visible wings, pylons, or nacelles. Pilots who reported the sighting through Intelligence Personnel faced ridicule and harassment, and reporting stopped at the 3rd Fleet, with no established process for sharing the details of the incident.
In addition to Fravor, Lt. Chad Underwood was another F/A-18 pilot involved in the encounter. Underwood reportedly captured video footage of the object using his fighter jet’s onboard camera. The footage, which was later released to the public, shows a small white object moving rapidly through the air.
Several radar operators and other military personnel were also involved. Kevin Day, a radar operator on the USS Princeton, reported detecting multiple fast-moving objects performing erratic maneuvers on his radar screen. Day claimed to have tracked these objects over several days, describing them as “really good targets.”
Other personnel aboard the USS Princeton and USS Nimitz reportedly witnessed the objects from the decks of the ships. Some described the objects moving in ways impossible for any known aircraft, while others speculated they could have been advanced drones or experimental military craft.
Overall, the Nimitz Encounter remains one of the most compelling UFO cases on record. Witnesses consistently described objects that exhibited flight capabilities far beyond anything known in modern aviation, including silent movement, extreme acceleration, and unconventional aerodynamics. Despite numerous theories, the incident remains unexplained, continuing to ignite interest in UFOs and the possibility of advanced, unidentified technology operating in our skies.
