Formation of unknown flying objects tracked for ~2 minutes before lost in cloud cover — Arabian Gulf coast, 27 August 2020

MISREP 4685903 (unit 482ATKS, 432 AEW) documents a 21-hour AREC mission over the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman on 26-27 August 2020. From 15:27Z to 15:29Z on 27 August 2020 (approximately 2 minutes), the aircraft observed a formation of flying objects traveling northeast-to-northwest along the coast in the vicinity of MGRS 39RVM8 (remaining digits redacted). Positive identification (PID) was lost in cloud cover and could not be re-established. Light cloud coverage is explicitly noted as having prevented continuous tracking. The observation was made by sensor (FMV/ANDAS4 type system).

“"FROM 1527Z TO 1529Z, [redacted] OBSERVED A FORMATION OF FLYING OBJECTS TRAVELING NE-NW ALONG THE COAST IVO 39RVM8[redacted]. [redacted] WAS TRACKING THIS FORMATION FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES BEFORE PID WAS LOST IN CLOUD COVER. AIRCREW WAS UNABLE TO GAIN PID AGAIN ON THIS FORMATION." / "Observed Activity Description: FORMATION OF UNK FLYING OBJECTS"”

Declassified by MG Richard A. Harrison, USCENTCOM Chief of Staff, 22 January 2026. MISREP 4685903 from 482ATKS. Date/time 27 AUG 2020, 15:27-15:29Z is explicitly stated; duration 2 minutes = 120 seconds. MGRS 39RVM8 places contact in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz/Persian Gulf coastline; centroid set to approx. 26.8N, 55.8E with location_approx: true. Object count not stated (formation, number undetermined). Aircraft was also tracking a probable NASER WAP vessel and a possible IL-76 Candid at Abu Musa Island AFLD during the same mission — these are conventional military/naval contacts, not UAP incidents, and are not separately extracted. Weather: light cloud coverage is documented as cause of PID loss. Iranian Air Defense guardcall at 05:32Z also noted as separate event.