it was fast: 3,600 mph

If nothing else, Paco Chierici's account Reno linked above is great read. And I believe was written many months ago about this same incident.

And now 18 months later, the New York Times finally has an update.

On May 26, 2019 the newspaper reported that on almost every day between summer 2014 and March 2015, the US Navy was monitoring UFOs flying at hypersonic speeds 30,000 feet above the East Coast. On some days the UFOs were visible for as long as 12 continuous hours. (At those speeds, it should have run out of fuel in just 1 hour.)

In one case, a Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet almost collided with a UFO, and in another case a Navy pilot and his wingman were flying in tandem about 100 feet apart when something flew between them, right past the cockpit. It had no engines, wings, windows, or exhaust flumes. It looked to the Navy pilot like a translucent sphere encasing a geometric cube.

The sightings increased shortly after the Navy's F/A-18 Super Hornets had upgraded their 1980s era radar technology to more advanced radar systems with higher resolution. On some days the UFOs were visible only with radar and infrared cameras, on other days they were visible to the naked eye.

Quote: New York Times

What was strange, the pilots said, was that the video showed objects accelerating to hypersonic speed, making sudden stops and instantaneous turns — something beyond the physical limits of a human crew.

“Speed doesn’t kill you,” Lieutenant Graves said. “Stopping does. Or acceleration.”

I've read enough to believe the phenomena is real, but still have no good explanation of what is going on. I'd guess I'd liken it to finding an ancient pyramid, and recording some sort of movement inside. So, in other words you've got real data, but no real explanation.

That's about as close as I can get to believing something other worldly or supernatural.

well, I'm definitely watching the History channel program Friday

Quote: rxwine

That's about as close as I can get to believing something other worldly or supernatural.

For argument's sake, let's presume that these vehicles are NOT made by aliens from outer space. Let's presume that these vehicles are indeed made by humans-- ie, top secret military technology.

That means that since at least 2014 (or 2004?) humans have had vehicles that can accelerate to hypersonic speeds instantly without any visible jet engines, propellers, rotors, exhaust plumes, or wings. Moreover, they consume very little jet fuel (since they can cruise at hypersonic speed for 12 hours without refuelling.) That theory is almost as crazy as the space alien theory.

The NY Times printed this on page A14. They didn't think it was newsworthy enough to put on the front page?

Quote: reno

For argument's sake, let's presume that these vehicles are NOT made by aliens from outer space. Let's presume that these vehicles are indeed made by humans-- ie, top secret military technology.

that's not the only other possible explanation though.

Quote:

They didn't think it was newsworthy enough to put on the front page?

I think to some degree there is a decision to not overexcite the public. We'll have to see how the discovery channel program does. I usually do *not* watch the UFO stuff on any channel, so I'm hoping this will be different.

Quote: Nareed

Bottom line: If the bet is aliens vs anything else, how would you bet?

Quote: odiousgambit

that's not the only other possible explanation though.

Here are some possibilities. All of them are ridiculous and far-fetched, some more so than others

1) Pilot error combined with radar error combined with FLIR (infrared camera) error
2) Elaborate hoax/prank/fraud
3) Secret military technology (United States, Russia, China, etc.)
4) Extraterrestrial aliens from another planet(s)
5) Humans from the future who've invented a time machine
6) Beings from a parallel universe with the ability to travel between dimensions
7) An advanced intelligent species that evolved on Earth that humans are unaware of

If you were forced to bet, which one would you put your money on?

The safest bet is probably Number 1 or 3. But for fun, I love the idea of Number 5. Think of how far science & technology has advanced just in the 375 years since Isaac Newton was born. Now suppose (for the sake of argument) that humans don't nuke themselves into extinction, imagine how advanced our technology will be in 5,000 years.

Quote: reno

Here are some possibilities. All of them are ridiculous and far-fetched, some more so than others

1) Pilot error combined with radar error combined with FLIR (infrared camera) error
2) Elaborate hoax/prank/fraud
3) Secret military technology (United States, Russia, China, etc.)
4) Extraterrestrial aliens from another planet(s)
5) Humans from the future who've invented a time machine
6) Beings from a parallel universe with the ability to travel between dimensions
7) An advanced intelligent species that evolved on Earth that humans are unaware of

If you were forced to bet, which one would you put your money on?

The safest bet is probably Number 1 or 3. But for fun, I love the idea of Number 5. Think of how far science & technology has advanced just in the 375 years since Isaac Newton was born. Now suppose (for the sake of argument) that humans don't nuke themselves into extinction, imagine how advanced our technology will be in 5,000 years.

Maybe a nuclear war doesn't destroy earth but opens the door to a parallel universe.

Quote: reno

Here are some possibilities. All of them are ridiculous and far-fetched, some more so than others

1) Pilot error combined with radar error combined with FLIR (infrared camera) error
2) Elaborate hoax/prank/fraud
3) Secret military technology (United States, Russia, China, etc.)
4) Extraterrestrial aliens from another planet(s)
5) Humans from the future who've invented a time machine
6) Beings from a parallel universe with the ability to travel between dimensions
7) An advanced intelligent species that evolved on Earth that humans are unaware of

If you were forced to bet, which one would you put your money on?

The safest bet is probably Number 1 or 3. But for fun, I love the idea of Number 5. Think of how far science & technology has advanced just in the 375 years since Isaac Newton was born. Now suppose (for the sake of argument) that humans don't nuke themselves into extinction, imagine how advanced our technology will be in 5,000 years.

Maybe 1 or 2
The rest absurd
Probably some natural phenomenon