In short: what is Video Gimbal?
The Gimbal video is a 34-second infrared sequence filmed in 2015 from a Navy F/A-18 off the coast of Florida during fleet exercises. It shows an oval-shaped object rotating counterclockwise — with no visible appendages, no contrails or propulsion.
The name “Gimbal” was given by witness pilots. A gimbal is a mechanism that allows an object to rotate freely along one or more axes. The rotation observed in the video gave its name to the sequence.
What exactly the Gimbal video shows
The ATFLIR (Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared) infrared sequence reveals:
- An object with an oval or elongated shape, white in infrared (warm thermal signature relating to the environment).
- The object performs a continuous rotation on its axis — without producing visible drag of any kind.
- Pilots can be heard expressing their astonishment in the audio tape. One of them says: “Look at that thing!” It's rotating! » (Look at that — it's spinning!)
- The object appears to be moving against the wind, based on partially available context information.
- At the end of the sequence, the object quickly disappears from the camera's view.
⚠ The question of the optical gimbal
Some analysts – notably Mick West (Metabunk) – have proposed an alternative explanation: the observed rotation would be an optical artifact of the ATFLIR system itself (a “gimbal roll”), and not a real rotation of the object. This hypothesis is technically possible but is not the only valid explanation. The debate remains open in the UAP analyst community.
What is confirmed by the Pentagon and the Navy
✓ Officially established
- The Department of Defense confirmed on April 27, 2020 that the Gimbal video is authentic and was filmed by US Navy pilots.
- The Navy said these videos “depict intrusions into restricted airspace” and constitute actual UAP incidents.
- The video was originally released without authorization via To The Stars Academy in 2017; its official confirmation came in 2020.
- The object filmed has not yet been identified by the American authorities.
✗ Not officially established
- The origin of the object – adverse technology, natural phenomenon, or other – is not established.
- The speed, exact altitude, and actual performance of the object have not been officially published.
- No official statement speaks of non-human or extraterrestrial technology.
Context: Repeated Navy sightings in 2014–2015
The Gimbal video is not an isolated incident. In the 2022 and 2023 auditions, Navy pilots — notably Ryan Graves (former F/A-18 pilot) — testified that sightings of unidentified objects were almost daily during East Coast Fleet exercises between 2014 and 2015.
“If fighter jets obstructed the airspace as regularly as we observed these UAPs, pilots would be on the ground immediately. »
— Ryan Graves, former F/A-18 Navy pilot, US Congressional hearing, July 2023
These repeated sightings in Navy training airspace — regardless of what the objects were — led to changes in reporting protocols. The Navy implemented formal procedures in 2019 for reporting UAPs by pilots.
Common interpretation errors
- "The rotation proves it's an alien ship." » - No. The rotation is notable but can have conventional explanations (optical artifact, atmospheric phenomenon). Unidentified does not mean extraterrestrial.
- “The Pentagon has declassified the video. » — The video was not classified. It was released without authorization, and the Pentagon authenticated, not declassified.
- “The object is moving against the wind, so it’s impossible. » — This claim requires the complete weather data from the incident, which is not publicly available. The deduction remains speculative.
- “The Navy knows what it is but is hiding it. » — Not established. The Navy has reporting procedures in place precisely because these objects are unidentified.
Official sources and documents
- Department of Defense — press release dated April 27, 2020 authenticating Gimbal, GoFast and FLIR1. defense.gov
- US Congress — sworn hearing of Ryan Graves, July 2023. congress.gov
- To The Stars Academy — original video release, 2017.
- Mick West / Metabunk — optical analysis of Gimbal rotation, 2018–2021.
- The New York Times — Glowing Auras and 'Black Money', December 2017.
- AARO — reporting data, FY2024 annual report.
