Special Note – July 30, 2015: The FAA was contacted in an attempt to fill in the “missing holes” in the radar coverage noted in the report below. Updates will be posted.

Update – August 27, 2015: The missing data has been received from the FAA. The FAA is to be commended for sending data in an area where classified military operations are conducted.

This is a special report. In the late evening of June 10, 2015 near midnight in Alto, NM a local minister saw military jets pursuing 30 to 40 erratic flying lights. The witness called 911 as the result of the sighting, but was given no information. Click here to read witness report. A look at the updated radar data shows considerable activity from military jets and several concentrated patterns of primary (possible unknown returns). The complete radar report follows.

New Mexico is rich with Military Operations Areas (MOA). The White Sands Missile Range MOA is about 20 miles to the west of Alto and another MOA is about 10 miles to the south. See gray areas in map below:

MAP OF MILITARY OPERATIONS AREAS – NEAR ALTO, NM.

Some ground based military maneuvers are conducted in Otero County (at an unknown location). Alto is outside of Otero County & White Sands Missile Range (see map below):

MAP SHOWING SHOWING WHITE SANDS & OTERO COUNTY MOA’S.

There is a long range ARSR-4 radar sensor in Eagle Peak, Texas which is about 150 miles from Alto. This radar has a range of 250 nautical miles. Radar from this sensor and a short range (60 nautical miles) radar in Roswell were used to evaluate radar returns in this analysis. (See map below):

MAP SHOWING WITNESS LOCATION & LOCATIONS OF 2 RADARS.

Military craft appear to the NE of witness location at 11:15 PM. (This is the start time of the radar data dump. The craft were likely in the area beforehand.) Military craft were seen approaching Holloman AFB at 11:53 PM. They likely landed not long after this. This location (to the northeast of Holloman AFB) was at the southern edge of the radar request area. (See radar map below for path of “likely” military aircraft.)

MAP SHOWING PATH OF “LIKELY” MILITIARY AIRCRAFT.

Only one military aircraft showed up as an aircraft with a transponder. (Transponder sends signal to the radar indicating position and altitude.) However, it is believed that additional aircraft were present that had their transponders turned off. It is common for the military to only have one aircraft in a “sortie” to have their transponders on. The primary returns map (radar “skin” paints) tracked other likely aircraft in the “sortie.”

The transponder indicated that the military aircraft was flying near 25,000 feet. The speeds were near 500 MPH. The transponder interrogation showed that the craft was rapidly descending as it approached Holloman AFB.

Radar showed a dense concentration of primary returns to the Northeast of the witness location. Many of these returns were likely military aircraft, but some of the returns could very well have been UFO’s. Targets were moving at very rapid speeds (near speeds of aircraft).  (See map below):

MAP OF PRIMARY RADAR RETURNS. (NOTE DENSE AREA TO NE).

The radar map doesn’t completely agree with what the witness viewed. The witness says that he first saw military aircraft approaching from the West. Radar does not show this. However, the witness says that the activity moved to Northeast of his location where it continued for some time. The radar definitely confirms this. It shows considerable military activity and a dense concentration of primary returns. Some of these primary returns could very well be the UFO’s (lights) seen by the witness. (See map above.)

The radar shows military aircraft flying in circles through the area north and east of the witness location before returning to Holloman AFB. This activity is well outside of any MOA’s. (See above maps.) Why would the military be present in considerable numbers and considerable time outside of any MOA’s? The witness has lived in the area for several years and has never seen UFO’s or a strong “military presence.”

All of the military craft and “UFO” returns were outside of MOA’s. Aerial operations (and missile launches) are normally conducted within the White Sands MOA. Some special ground based maneuvers are sometimes conducted in Otero County. Alto, NM is outside of both of these areas. A “heavy” military presence was noted by radar returns in the area and at the time the UFO’s were sighted by the witness.

Conclusion:

1. The witness saw several unknown aerial lights & military aircraft.
2. Radar confirms a sortie of several military aircraft to the E and NE of witness location.
3. Aircraft were flying near 500 MPH and 25,000 feet.
4. A dense area of “primary returns” to the NE of the witness location. Some of these returns could very well have been UFO’s.
5. The military operations were outside all  MOA’s.