A private company under military contract admits to launching flying objects over New Jersey in November 2024, sparking panic and speculation about “UFOs”.
Summary
The source of the wave of ‘UAVs’ and ‘UFOs’ observed over New Jersey between November and early December 2024, a private company under contract with the US Department of Defence revealed at the Army UAS and Launched Effects Summit in August 2025 that it had conducted tests of an unidentified flying object in civilian airspace. The employee who made the confession reportedly said: “Do you remember that big UFO scare in New Jersey last year? Well, that was us.” The craft, approximately 6 metres (≈ 20 ft) wide with four wings, was demonstrated at the summit, and its flight characteristics — visual disappearance, unusual trajectories — could explain the accounts of frightened witnesses. This case raises questions about the transparency of private military contracts, the safety of civil airspace, and the management of technological crises in a context of heightened national security.
The drone phenomenon in New Jersey
In November 2024, dozens of night-time sightings of unidentified flying objects multiplied in New Jersey. On 13 November, a first sighting was reported above Picatinny Arsenal, before sightings spread across the state and into neighbouring states. The objects were described as silent, large, and flying just above the canopy or tree lines. In response to the commotion, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a temporary ban on drones in certain areas of New Jersey in December 2024, covering a radius of approximately 1.8 km and an altitude of up to 122 m. Governor Phil Murphy called the episode a ‘wake-up call’ regarding American vulnerability to drone incursions, while asserting that there was no immediate threat to public safety. Meanwhile, military bases such as the Naval Weapons Station Earle in Colts Neck confirmed that they had detected several unidentified drones entering their airspace. Public anxiety was real, fuelled by viral videos and speculation about a foreign or secret technological origin.
The confession of a private firm and the demonstration at Fort Rucker
In August 2025, during the Army UAS and Launched Effects Summit held at Fort Rucker, Alabama, a private military company, whose name remains confidential, orchestrated a demonstration of a piloted or hybrid aircraft, approximately 6 metres in wingspan and with four wings. An employee then addressed the audience with the following statement: ‘You remember that big UFO scare in New Jersey last year? Well, that was us.’ According to one witness, the approximately 30-minute demonstration in controlled airspace showed a stealth craft: “When it turned, we almost completely lost sight of it. ” The visual impression was one of disappearance, silent movement and unconventional trajectories. The employee reportedly added that the operation, conducted in November 2024 over New Jersey, was part of a private contract with the government and that public disclosure was not required. It should be noted that the entire operation has not been confirmed by the authorities: the identity of the company, the exact nature of the aircraft and the details of the flight remain confidential.
Technological analysis: what kind of aircraft and what capabilities?
The available information is fragmentary, but several elements allow us to make assumptions about the aircraft’s capabilities.
- Wingspan of approximately 6 metres and four opening or fixed wings.
- Low visibility flight: apparent suppression of light, low altitude trajectory – just above the tree line.
- Visual disappearance during turns, suggesting a shape or coating that makes the aircraft difficult to see.
- Operation without public announcement: testing in civil airspace, but in small numbers, suggesting an experimental platform.
- Night flight: aggravating factor of the ‘UFO’ effect.
This combination indicates that it was probably a prototype drone or a demonstrator with reduced visual signature. The government contract would explain the lack of communication, and the choice of New Jersey – close to military installations – would reflect the desire to test in real-world conditions.
Implications for civil and military aviation safety
The revelation that a private company was responsible raises several questions:
- Transparency and public oversight: testing in civilian airspace without public information raises questions about governance.
- Airspace safety: unannounced flights over populated areas can cause confusion, interference and even defensive reactions.
- Communication: the lack of information fuelled panic and rumours.
- Civil-military interface: platforms developed for military use have unforeseen consequences in the civil sphere.
- Sensors and detection: the authorities had to step up aerial surveillance after the incidents.
Although no damage was reported, the case highlights a regulatory vacuum in which an unannounced military test can trigger a public crisis.
The regulatory framework and the authorities’ response
Before the company’s admission, several measures had been taken.
- The FAA imposed temporary drone flight restrictions in certain areas of New Jersey until mid-January 2025.
- The Department of Defence and the FBI assured the public that there was no credible threat to national security.
- Governor Murphy requested additional resources to understand the origin of the flights.
Since then, the issue of the legal responsibility of private companies and the integration of their tests into airspace management has become central. It is likely that the flight was authorised under a military experimental framework, but without coordination with civil authorities.
Strategic and technological issues
This episode illustrates the rise of unmanned aerial systems and the testing of hybrid aircraft in real-world environments. The secretive nature of the test reflects the growing trend towards testing advanced technologies in semi-open contexts.
National security is also at stake: any unidentified appearance in American skies triggers defence reflexes and suspicions of espionage. Even an internal test can cause a media and political crisis.
Finally, the incident highlights the importance of technological crisis management. When unidentified objects appear in the sky, public confidence is undermined. The admission by a private company raises the issue of the boundary between secret experimentation and the right to information.
What lessons can be learned for the future?
The confession by this private firm sheds some light on the mystery, but it does not answer all the questions. Who authorised the flight? What protocols were followed? How can we prevent a confidential test from triggering public panic again?
This episode reminds us that in the age of autonomous and stealth technologies, the line between military secrecy and civilian space is becoming increasingly blurred. The frenzy in New Jersey was probably not related to extraterrestrials, but to poorly regulated innovation. The challenge for the authorities will now be to reconcile security, innovation and transparency in order to prevent the American sky from once again becoming a theatre of collective misunderstanding.
War Wings Daily is an independant magazine.