GIMBAL — Rotating Object Over Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean, off the U.S. East Coast
Summary
Navy pilots from VFA-11 'Red Rippers' recorded an unidentified object that appeared to rotate while maintaining flight, with no visible wings, exhaust, or propulsion. Pilots expressed disbelief on audio.
Background
Between 2014 and 2015, Navy pilots operating off the U.S. East Coast reported near-daily encounters with unidentified aerial objects. The encounters were so frequent that a safety report was filed.
The Video
The GIMBAL video shows an infrared view of an object that appears to rotate mid-flight. The pilots can be heard expressing surprise: “There’s a whole fleet of them — look on the SA” and “My gosh, they’re all going against the wind.”
The name “GIMBAL” comes from one pilot’s suggestion that the rotation could be a gimbal artifact from the FLIR pod. However, analysis remains contested.
Analysis
The object displays:
- No visible wings or control surfaces
- No exhaust plume in infrared
- Apparent rotation independent of flight path
- Stable flight against strong headwinds
Significance
Released alongside the Nimitz footage in 2017 by The New York Times, this video was instrumental in bringing UAP into mainstream discourse and eventually led to congressional hearings.