# Who in the US Government would have responsibility over a real UFO? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 21, 2023, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147 "2023-02-21T15:44:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/1 "2023-02-21T15:44:38Z")
Assume it crashed or was found and moved to a secret location. Would it be NASA? The Air Force? Space Force? All of the above? I assume they’d all share the examination area as a group. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/2 "2023-02-21T15:51:04Z")
I would think the CIA would be since it’s an external threat. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/3 "2023-02-21T15:51:59Z")
Since there are no precedents we can only guess, but my guess would be that the very first claim to a crashed or landed UFO would be for the National Transportation Safety Board, because the incident would at first appear to be an aviation accident. It’s the NTSB which investigates such accidents. But it might well be that other authorities would soon assert their own competence. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/4 "2023-02-21T15:58:51Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > Since there are no precedents we can only guess, but my guess would be that the very first claim to a crashed or landed UFO would be for the National Transportation Safety Board, because the incident would at first appear to be an aviation accident. Well this right here is why no aliens visit. Why would they risk the NTSB and FAA getting involved? They could pull their pilot licenses indefinitely, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that was effective back on their home planet too. There would also be drug / alcohol screenings, checking on whether they had enough rest, etc. They would have to send a union rep… The whole thing just wouldn’t be worth it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/5 "2023-02-21T15:59:59Z")
“There goes my insurance.” -Spaced Aliens. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/6 "2023-02-21T16:01:41Z")
I’ll agree with Schnitte. It would be a crash, and not identified as alien until examined. According to the amount of destruction, it may not be recognized as alien for some time. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/7 "2023-02-21T16:24:46Z")
[NASIC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Air_and_Space_Intelligence_Center). ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/8 "2023-02-21T16:54:44Z")
If it was detected coming in, NORAD? _“The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a United States and Canada bi-national organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North America. Aerospace warning includes the detection, validation, and warning of attack against North America whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles, through mutual support arrangements with other commands.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/9 "2023-02-21T17:48:55Z")
Once taken into custody, would it be an IFO? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/10 "2023-02-21T18:36:16Z")
If I were part of the Space Force, having just been denied any jurisdiction over the balloons because they were flying too low, I’d take command of a true alien investigation by force. And relocate it to our secret moon base. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/11 "2023-02-21T19:48:05Z")
It would go to the Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG), oversight of which falls on the Airborne Object Identification and Management Executive Council (AOIMEXEC) whose members come from the DOD and Intelligence Community. The AOIMEXEC would swiftly create a new Task Force as soon as evidence pointed to an extraterrestrial origin. So, the actual Task Force with responsibility over “a real UFO” won’t exist until evidence of an actual alien craft exists. Members of the Task Force would no doubt come from a multitude of agencies across the US Government. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/12 "2023-02-21T20:07:19Z")
I’m not sure what happens to the UFO itself, but my understanding is that the aliens should be removed and sent to Kamala Harris on a bus. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/13 "2023-02-21T21:26:58Z")
Would a medical examination of the aliens include an anal probe? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/14 "2023-02-21T22:19:32Z")
I think we know that it would be a Deputy Sherriff/patrol from somewhere. That’s where it would start before the men in black are called. The chain of command is going to be ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/15 "2023-02-21T22:26:27Z")
[Moderating] > [@Riemann](#): > > I’m not sure what happens to the UFO itself, but my understanding is that the aliens should be removed and sent to Kamala Harris on a bus. We don’t need political jabs in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2023, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/16 "2023-02-21T22:28:55Z")
De facto, whenever an unprecedented situation comes up, that’s when you set a precedent. Some agency or other would end up claiming jurisdiction in a way that other agencies would respect, and which one that ended up being would depend not just on the letter of the law, but on who got there first and who had the strongest personality. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/17 "2023-02-22T02:16:28Z")
I agree that national security would be one principal at work and that aspect would be handled by the military. The National Air and Space Intelligence Center (part of the air force), whose mission is to gather intelligence on foreign weapon systems, has already been mentioned and would probably be the lead on this aspect. But assuming there are some crew members on this craft, there would also be the aspect of foreign relations and establishing a framework to deal with the aliens. The state department would take the lead on that. Another issue would be the contact with extra-terrestrial biology. So we’d want to call up the Department of Health and Human Services and have them send over some people from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/18 "2023-02-22T02:33:35Z")
I feel I have to mention my dislike for using “real UFO” to mean “extraterrestrial artificial spacecraft”. There are “real UFOs” all the time - anytime there’s an object that’s flying and you don’t know what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/19 "2023-02-22T02:43:10Z")
There’d likely also be a special government agency created on the spot-- Something like a Presidential Task Force on Extraterrestrials, or something. All of the agencies mentioned would probably have some part in it, and the leader of the task force might be a leader of any of those agencies, or might be the Vice President or some other general-purpose VIP. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147/20 "2023-02-22T02:44:43Z")
And for those that were thinking this perfect response was “fake DoD gobbledygook”, here is a link to the brief establishing AOIMSG. > **[DoD Announces the Establishment of the Airborne Object Identification and...](https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2853121/dod-announces-the-establishment-of-the-airborne-object-identification-and-manag/)** > > Today, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks, in close collaboration with the Director of National Intelligence, directed the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security to establish ETA: Although I suppose if it crashed before we detected it then it would probably go a task force heavily comprised of NSA/CIA types. Perhaps with some DoD folks for the technical/military side. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-in-the-us-government-would-have-responsibility-over-a-real-ufo/980147.md?page=2)