Within Gimbal Files
What the Gimbal Footage Actually Shows
The released Navy footage provides a real military recording, but its limited public data leaves key questions about what the sensor captured.
On this page
- The ATFLIR recording and release history
- What infrared sensors reveal and hide
- Limits of the public evidence
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
The USS Theodore Roosevelt “Gimbal” video is a genuine U.S. Navy infrared recording, but the public evidence consists of a short, processed sensor clip rather than a complete aircraft-tracking dataset. Recorded in 2015 by an F/A-18 aircraft’s ATFLIR (Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared) targeting pod, the 34-second footage shows a heat-significant object against a cloudy background, with the image appearing to rotate near the end of the clip. The U.S. Department of Defense later authorised release of the video in 2020, confirming that the footage was authentic Navy imagery while stating that the phenomenon shown remained “unidentified”.[U.S. Department of War]defense.govU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release of Historical Navy Videos > U.S. Department of Defense > Rele…(https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/release/article/2165713/statement-by-the-department-of-defense-on-the-release-of-historical-navy-videos/)
The central evidence question is therefore not whether the video is real, but what information the sensor record actually contains. The Gimbal clip provides a military-grade infrared observation, yet the publicly available version lacks many details normally used for a full identification: raw sensor output, complete telemetry, radar tracks, precise range data, and the original intelligence assessment. As a result, the same recording has supported competing interpretations ranging from an unusual airborne object to a conventional aircraft or sensor effect.[UAP Records Archive]uap-archive.orgOpen source on uap-archive.org.
The ATFLIR recording and release history
The Gimbal footage came from the AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR pod carried by a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet. ATFLIR is not a simple camera; it is an electro-optical targeting system designed for aircraft operations, combining infrared imaging with tracking and targeting functions. Its purpose is to help aircrews detect, track and identify objects under difficult conditions.[MAN Simulation]dcs.man-sim.orgMAN Simulation AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIRMAN SimulationAN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR - DCS DocumentationAugust 30, 2022…
The publicly available video shows only the sensor display as presented to the viewer. It does not show the full set of information available to the aircraft crew, such as all targeting data, range information, radar integration, or mission records. This distinction is important because the displayed image is an interpretation generated by a sensor system rather than a direct visual photograph of the object.
The footage first became widely known after it appeared in public reporting in 2017. The Navy later acknowledged that the circulating videos were genuine Navy recordings, and the Department of Defense formally released the Gimbal and other historical Navy UAP videos in April 2020 after reviewing their classification status. The Pentagon stated that the release did not expose sensitive capabilities and that the objects depicted remained officially unidentified.[U.S. Department of War]defense.govU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release of Historical Navy Videos > U.S. Department of Defense > Rele…(https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/release/article/2165713/statement-by-the-department-of-defense-on-the-release-of-historical-navy-videos/)
The release established two important facts:
- The recording was not a hoax or fabricated internet video; it originated from a real military sensor system.[U.S. Department of War]defense.govU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release of Historical Navy Videos > U.S. Department of Defense > Rele…(https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/release/article/2165713/statement-by-the-department-of-defense-on-the-release-of-historical-navy-videos/)
- Official confirmation of authenticity did not constitute an identification of the object’s nature or origin. The term “unidentified” describes the state of the investigation, not a conclusion about extraordinary technology.[U.S. Department of War]defense.govU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release of Historical Navy Videos > U.S. Department of Defense > Rele…(https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/release/article/2165713/statement-by-the-department-of-defense-on-the-release-of-historical-navy-videos/)
What infrared sensors reveal and hide
The image is a measurement, not a normal photograph
The Gimbal video is an infrared (IR) recording, meaning the sensor detects thermal radiation rather than visible light. What appears on screen depends on factors including the object’s temperature, distance, atmospheric conditions, sensor settings and image processing.
This creates an important limitation: an infrared image can show a thermal signature without revealing the object’s exact physical form. A bright or dark shape in a FLIR display does not automatically provide a clear outline, material composition or propulsion method.
For the Gimbal clip, the visible “object” is therefore not equivalent to a high-resolution photograph of a craft. Analysts must infer physical characteristics from a processed thermal image.
The apparent rotation is the main sensor dispute
The most debated moment in the footage occurs when the object appears to rotate or pivot. This behaviour is one reason the video became famous and why some observers argued that it showed unusual flight characteristics.
However, a major alternative explanation is that the apparent rotation may be related to the imaging system rather than the object itself. Skeptical analyses, particularly those by analyst Mick West, argue that the effect could be produced by infrared glare from a conventional aircraft viewed from behind, combined with the movement of the ATFLIR tracking system. In this interpretation, the apparent “turn” is a change in the sensor image rather than a physical rotation of the object.[Metabunk]metabunk.orgGimbal UFOGimbal UFO - A New Analysis | Metabunk…
Other analyses dispute or question parts of that explanation. A 2023 academic preprint examining possible flight paths for the January 2015 Gimbal event argued that, using reported encounter details from aviators, some reconstructed interpretations could produce unusual apparent manoeuvres. The authors also discussed conventional explanations, including infrared glare from a distant aircraft, showing that the debate depends heavily on assumptions about range, motion and sensor behaviour.[arXiv]arxiv.orgReconstruction of Potential Flight Paths for the January 2015 Gimbal UAPJune 15, 2023…
The key point is that the rotation cannot be assessed from appearance alone. Determining whether the object rotated requires information about the sensor’s stabilisation, tracking mode, geometry and the object’s actual distance.
Limits of the public evidence
The Gimbal clip is valuable because it is a military sensor record, but its evidential limits are equally important. Public viewers have access to only a small portion of the available information.
Several missing elements affect interpretation:
- No raw sensor file: The released video is a processed display recording, not the complete infrared data stream.
- Limited range information: The public clip does not provide all measurements needed to calculate the object’s size, distance or speed with confidence.
- No complete multi-sensor record: The broader aircraft and carrier group data, including any classified radar information, have not been publicly released as a complete package.
- Short duration: A 34-second clip provides limited opportunity to analyse behaviour over time.[UAP Records Archive]uap-archive.orgOpen source on uap-archive.org.
These limitations create the central tension of the Gimbal evidence. The recording is stronger than a civilian video because it comes from trained military personnel using specialised equipment. At the same time, it is weaker than a complete scientific observation because the public does not have access to the full measurement context.
The distinction matters because many disagreements about Gimbal are not really disagreements about whether the pixels exist; they are disagreements about what those pixels can prove.
What the video can and cannot establish
The strongest conclusions supported by the public record are relatively narrow:
Established:
- The Gimbal footage is authentic U.S. Navy infrared imagery.[U.S. Department of War]defense.govU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release of Historical Navy Videos > U.S. Department of Defense > Rele…(https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/release/article/2165713/statement-by-the-department-of-defense-on-the-release-of-historical-navy-videos/)
- It was captured by an F/A-18 aircraft using an ATFLIR targeting system.[MAN Simulation]dcs.man-sim.orgMAN Simulation AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIRMAN SimulationAN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR - DCS DocumentationAugust 30, 2022…
- The Department of Defense released it officially and classified the depicted phenomenon as unidentified.[U.S. Department of War]defense.govU.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release of Historical Navy Videos > U.S. Department of Defense > Rele…(https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/release/article/2165713/statement-by-the-department-of-defense-on-the-release-of-historical-navy-videos/)
Not established from the public clip alone:
- The object’s exact identity.
- Its true distance, size or speed.
- Whether the apparent rotation was physical movement or a sensor-related effect.
- Whether it represented technology beyond known aircraft or imaging phenomena.
The Gimbal recording remains important because it sits at the intersection of two kinds of evidence: a real military observation and an incomplete public dataset. The unresolved debate is therefore not about whether there is a video, but about how much information can legitimately be extracted from a short infrared sensor record without the missing technical context.
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Endnotes
1.
Source: defense.gov
Link:https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/release/article/2165713/statement-by-the-department-of-defense-on-the-release-of-historical-navy-videos/
Source snippet
U.S. Department of WarStatement by the Department of Defense on the Release of Historical Navy Videos > U.S. Department of Defense > Rele...
2.
Source: metabunk.org
Title: Gimbal UFO
Link:https://www.metabunk.org/threads/gimbal-ufo-a-new-analysis.12333/
Source snippet
Gimbal UFO - A New Analysis | Metabunk...
3.
Source: navair.navy.mil
Link:https://www.navair.navy.mil/node/4906
4.
Source: time.com
Link:https://time.com/5680192/navy-confirms-ufo-videos-real/
Source snippet
Joseph Gradisher, spokesman for the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, acknowledged the footage as depicting "Unidentified Aerial Phenomen...
5.
Source: arxiv.org
Link:https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.08773
Source snippet
Reconstruction of Potential Flight Paths for the January 2015 Gimbal UAPJune 15, 2023...
Published: June 15, 2023
6.
Source: metabunk.org
Title: New AARO video “UAP Video
Link:https://www.metabunk.org/threads/new-aaro-video-uap-video-middle-east-red-balloon-2024.14243/
7.
Source: metabunk.org
Title: page 2
Link:https://www.metabunk.org/threads/me23-aaro-release-%E2%80%94-unresolved-uap-report-middle-east-2023.14190/page-2
8.
Source: metabunk.org
Title: New AARO Chief Dr. Jon T. Kosloski | Metabunk
Link:https://www.metabunk.org/threads/new-aaro-chief-dr-jon-t-kosloski.13620/
9.
Source: metabunk.org
Link:https://www.metabunk.org/threads/re…nd-range-and-temp-to-of-the-gimbal-uap.12486/
10.
Source: metabunk.org
Title: A Gimbal Glare Explainer | Metabunk
Link:https://www.metabunk.org/threads/a-gimbal-glare-explainer.12230/
11.
Source: metabunk.org
Link:https://www.metabunk.org/threads/does-the-beginning-part-of-gimbal-debunk-the-claim-that-the-object-rotates.12068/
12.
Source: war.gov
Link:https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2165713/statement-by-the-department-of-defense-on-the-release-of-historical-navy-videos/utm_source/statement-by-the-department-of-defense-on-the-release-of-historical-navy-videos/
13.
Source: metabunk.org
Title: Original Flir1, Gimbal, and Go Fast UFO “Raw” Video Files | Metabunk
Link:https://www.metabunk.org/threads/original-flir1-gimbal-and-go-fast-ufo-raw-video-files.10802/
14.
Source: navair.navy.mil
Link:https://www.navair.navy.mil/node/11516
15.
Source: navair.navy.mil
Link:https://www.navair.navy.mil/node/7701
16.
Source: uap-archive.org
Link:https://uap-archive.org/uap/learn/pentagon-navy-uap-videos/
17.
Source: dcs.man-sim.org
Title: MAN Simulation AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR
Link:https://dcs.man-sim.org/en/fa18c/12.atflir/
Source snippet
MAN SimulationAN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR - DCS DocumentationAugust 30, 2022...
Published: August 30, 2022
18.
Source: iufodb.com
Link:https://www.iufodb.com/gimbal/
19.
Source: uap-blog.com
Title: Mick West
Link:https://www.uap-blog.com/gimbal-ufo-une-nouvelle-analyse/
20.
Source: zenodo.org
Link:https://zenodo.org/records/7844175
21.
Source: military-history.fandom.com
Title: ASQ 228 ATFLIR
Link:https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/AN/ASQ-228_ATFLIR
Additional References
22.
Source: wired.com
Link:https://www.wired.com/story/does-it-matter-that-the-dod-released-those-ufo-videos
Source snippet
These videos, previously surfaced through The New York Times in 2017, were not initially authorized by the Pentagon, though they were ack...
23.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Raytheon ATFLIR expert discusses Navy gimbal UFO/UAP video with Mick West
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGHeu5GeR-0
Source snippet
Ryan Graves: UFOs, Fighter Jets, and Aliens | Lex Fridman Podcast #308...
24.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Ryan Graves: UFOs, Fighter Jets, and Aliens | Lex Fridman Podcast #308
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLDp-aYnR1Y
Source snippet
Can We Explain The GIMBAL UAP Video With Science And Tech?...
25.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Gimbal: The First Official UAP Footage from the USG for Public Release
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf1uLwUTDA0
Source snippet
“Gimbal” UFO 3D Reconstruction (likely a private jet)...
26.
Source: youtube.com
Title: “Gimbal” UFO 3D Reconstruction (likely a private jet)
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGzJ9dx3n4o
Source snippet
Raytheon ATFLIR expert discusses Navy gimbal UFO/UAP video with Mick West...
27.
Source: ufoevidence.com
Link:https://ufoevidence.com/case/gimbal-gofast-videos/
28.
Source: ufofiles.app
Link:https://ufofiles.app/case-files/gimbal-uap-video/
29.
Source: nowdeclassified.com
Link:https://www.nowdeclassified.com/incidents/gimbal-uap-2015
30.
Source: ufodisclosure.us
Link:https://ufodisclosure.us/gofast/
31.
Source: nowdeclassified.com
Link:https://www.nowdeclassified.com/guides/gimbal-uap-video-explained