Latest UFO News January 22, 2026

A former Air Force Thunderbird pilot has come forward with details about multiple UFO encounters throughout his military career, reigniting questions about why Air Force personnel have remained silent on this topic for decades.

Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Bodenheimer, call sign Neo, shared his experiences on the Weaponized podcast with George Knapp and Jeremy Corbell. According to Bodenheimer, his most intense encounter occurred while flying with the Thunderbirds at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. He described a triangle-shaped object that passed within 20 feet of his jet at approximately 700 knots of closure. The object appeared to have welding marks on its surface and no visible cockpit.

Bodenheimer explained that Air Force culture has created a barrier to disclosure. He referenced the difference between the two branches, noting that the Navy operates with a small book of restrictions while the Air Force maintains extensive documentation of what personnel are permitted to do. He pointed out that the Air Force ran Project Blue Book from 1952 to 1969 and then went essentially silent on UAPs.

This cultural divide was evident at the September 2025 congressional hearing titled Restoring Public Trust Through UAP Transparency and Whistleblower Protection. According to testimony, Navy Senior Chief Alexandro Wiggins received assistance from the Navy to appear before Congress and faced no pushback for testifying about a tic-tac shaped object he observed aboard the USS Jackson. In contrast, Air Force veteran Dylan Borland stated during the same hearing that saying the wrong word could result in espionage charges carrying the death penalty.

A.I. Rendition

Representative Eric Burlison of Missouri attended a recent press conference where he stated that Congress has been given marching orders. According to reports from the Daily Caller, Burlison called for passage of the UAP Disclosure Act and whistleblower protection legislation. The UAP Disclosure Act would create a records collection at the National Archives, establish an independent review board for declassification, and require public disclosure within 25 years.

At the state level, Vermont Representative Troy Headrick introduced bill H.654 to create the Vermont Airspace Safety and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force. According to Headrick made on News Nation, the bill focuses on data collection and evidence-based policymaking, with practical applications for regulating drone usage in state airspace. The Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies would serve as the principal scientific analyst for the task force.

Sources

Jeremy Corbell. (2026, January 20). The U.S. Air Force pilot who had a dogfight with a UFO [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMYiz2y2mag

NewsNation. (2026, January 20). UAP task force proposed in Vermont | Jesse Weber Live [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06MvdGF2CnY

Olson, C. (2026, January 20). Congressman Urges UFO Disclosures, Whistleblower Protection. Daily Caller. https://dailycaller.com/2026/01/20/eric-burlison-ufo-uap-disclosure-whistleblower/