The 2021 USS Kidd UAP Incursions: Declassified Navy Deck Logs and Chief of Naval Operations Records

Overview of the July 2019/2021 Incidents

In July 2019 and again in late 2021, a fleet of U.S. Navy destroyers, including the USS Kidd, USS Rafael Peralta, and USS John Finn, encountered multiple unidentified aerial phenomena while operating in the Channel Islands off the California coast. The objects, described as 'unmanned aerial vehicles' (UAVs) in official logs, exhibited flight characteristics that baffled Navy intelligence, including the ability to hover in high winds and maintain flight for over 90 minutes—exceeding the battery life of commercially available drones.

Navy Deck Logs and Tactical Sensor Data

FOIA requests fulfilled by the Navy and analyzed by researchers at The Black Vault have yielded hundreds of pages of deck logs and internal communications. On the night of July 14, 2019, the USS Kidd recorded the sighting of at least two UAPs at 10:00 PM. By 11:23 PM, the USS John Finn reported 'UAV activity' involving multiple craft. The objects were observed visually and on radar, moving at speeds of 16 knots despite 21-knot headwinds. They appeared to move in a coordinated fashion, flanking the destroyers even as the ships performed high-speed maneuvers.

Intelligence and Investigative Response

The incidents were reported to the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and were later discussed in Congressional hearings on UAP in 2022 and 2023. Admiral Michael Gilday, the CNO, confirmed that the Navy had not been able to identify the origin of the craft. While initial speculation suggested foreign adversaries like China or Russia were utilizing advanced drones, the lack of a detectable launch platform (such as a nearby submarine or commercial vessel) and the objects' extreme endurance remained unexplained.

Modern Disclosure Context

The USS Kidd case is pivotal in the modern disclosure movement because it represents a 'radar-visual' multi-sensor event involving state-of-the-art military hardware. The release of the SNOOPIE (Shipboard Nautical Sensor Interdiction Over-the-Horizon Investigative Election) team photos and the subsequent classification of much of the sensor data highlight the sensitivity of the encounter. As of 2024, the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) continues to list these events as unresolved, specifically noting the high level of technological sophistication displayed by the craft.