Episode
The USS Nimitz "Tic Tac" Encounter – The Modern Military UFO (2004)
- Podcast
- Mysteries of UFOs
- Published
- Jul 10, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 510
- Processing state
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Summary
In 2004, the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group detected unusual objects on radar off the coast of Southern California. These targets reportedly descended from extreme altitudes, stopped suddenly, and moved in ways that defied known aircraft capabilities. Navy pilots Commander David Fravor and Lieutenant Commander Alex Dietrich were sent to investigate and encountered a smooth, white, wingless object shaped like a Tic Tac hovering above disturbed ocean water. The object had no visible engines, wings, exhaust, or control surfaces. When Fravor attempted to approach, it accelerated away almost instantly and later reappeared at the pilots' designated training point. A second Navy crew later captured infrared footage of a similar object using an ATFLIR targeting system. Years later, the video was released publicly and confirmed by the U.S. Department of Defense as authentic Navy footage. The Nimitz encounter became a turning point in modern UFO history because it combined trained pilot testimony, shipboard radar, airborne sensors, infrared video, and official acknowledgment —making it one of the most important UAP cases ever documented.