A physicist who works with a federal research contractor has disclosed details of a previously classified program that monitors unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) from a secure facility on the outskirts of Las Vegas, KLAS 8 reported on Friday. According to the source, the project, codenamed “Project Mirage,” began in 2022 under the auspices of the Department of Defense’s All‑Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) and is funded through a multi‑year, $45 million appropriation that was hidden within the broader “Advanced Sensor Development” budget line. The scientist, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said the site houses a network of high‑resolution radar, infrared, and optical sensors that continuously scan the airspace over Nevada’s desert training ranges and the nearby metropolitan area.
The disclosed architecture of Project Mirage combines ground‑based phased‑array radars capable of tracking objects as small as a basketball at distances up to 200 nautical miles, with a constellation of low‑orbit cubesats equipped with hyperspectral imaging. “We’re collecting data that can resolve an object’s size, velocity, acceleration, and even material composition in real time,” the researcher explained. The program also employs machine‑learning algorithms developed in partnership with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to filter out known aircraft, birds, and atmospheric anomalies, leaving a curated set of “anomalous events” for further human analysis.
Officials from the Pentagon have previously acknowledged the existence of a formal UAP investigative effort, but they have not commented on the specifics of the Las Vegas installation. A spokesperson for the Office of the Secretary of Defense said the department “continues to evaluate all credible data on unidentified aerial phenomena to assess potential threats to national security,” and that any ongoing work is conducted in accordance with applicable classification rules. The revelation aligns with the broader push for transparency that began after the 2022 release of the UAP report to Congress, which urged the establishment of a permanent inter‑agency office to standardize data collection and analysis.
The scientist’s briefing also highlighted a collaborative component involving the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Reconnaissance Office. Data streams from Project Mirage are shared, under strict controls, with civilian aviation safety teams to help differentiate benign anomalies from potential hazards to commercial flight paths. “Our goal isn’t to chase sensational stories,” the researcher said, “but to build a rigorous scientific foundation that can either explain these sightings or, if necessary, alert policymakers to genuine security concerns.” The scientist noted that, of the 1,200 anomalous events recorded in the first twelve months, roughly 85 percent have been attributed to sensor glitches, known aircraft, or atmospheric effects, leaving a small subset that still defies conventional explanation.
Industry observers see the Las Vegas effort as a testbed for the next generation of UAP research, potentially shaping how future programs are funded and overseen. Dr. Michael Hernandez, a senior analyst at the Center for Aerospace Studies, said the disclosed capabilities “represent a significant upgrade from the ad‑hoc, fragmented data collection methods of the past.” He added that the integration of advanced analytics and cross‑agency data sharing could set a precedent for more systematic, transparent investigations, provided that appropriate oversight mechanisms are put in place.
While the disclosure offers a rare glimpse into the operational side of UAP research, it also raises questions about the balance between secrecy and public accountability. Lawmakers who have championed greater openness in the field are likely to request a briefing from the Defense Department on the program’s progress and its findings. As the United States continues to grapple with unexplained aerial observations, the Las Vegas facility may become a focal point for both scientific inquiry and policy debate, underscoring the need for evidence‑based conclusions rather than speculation.
