A metallic-looking sphere was filmed over Mosul, Iraq in April 2016 by a U.S. Air Force MC-12 reconnaissance aircraft. The object, later dubbed the "Mosul Orb," appeared to move without any visible propulsion system.
The footage shows the orb flying over a residential area in Mosul, maintaining altitude and moving steadily from right to left across the frame. The timestamp on the video reads 09:47 UTC on April 16, 2016.
The MC-12 is a twin-turboprop surveillance aircraft equipped with advanced sensor systems, including electro-optical and infrared cameras. The object was captured on video during a combat air patrol mission over the warzone.
Technical Details:
- Location: Mosul, Iraq
- Platform: U.S. Air Force MC-12 "Liberty" surveillance aircraft
- Timestamp: 09:47 UTC, April 16, 2016
- Duration: Approximately 4 seconds
The video was made public by The UAP Register after a lawsuit filed in March 2024 against the U.S. Air Force (USAF). The legal action followed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed in 2023 for records related to unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP).
The records were connected to the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC), based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
A still image from the video had been previously released in 2023 by investigative journalist George Knapp and filmmaker Jeremy Corbell on their WEAPONIZED podcast. The Pentagon released additional footage to Fox News in April 2023.
The full four-second video was released publicly in July 2025 following the FOIA litigation led by investigator Dustin Slaughter.
While the footage is clear and shows what appears to be a metallic sphere moving without obvious propulsion, analysts have proposed various explanations:
- Conventional Aircraft: The object's motion could potentially be explained as a conventional aircraft viewed from an unusual angle, though no wings or tail are visible
- Balloon or Debris: A lightweight object carried by wind currents could produce similar visual characteristics
- Camera Artifact: Possible issues with the sensor tracking system or image processing
Jeremy Corbell, speaking on his WEAPONIZED podcast, emphasized: "It kind of arrived out of the blue… here is this video that they found." He warned that despite its clarity, the orb's origin, capability, operator, and intent remain undetermined.
The Mosul Orb is not an isolated incident. Similar metallic sphere sightings have been reported across the Middle East and South Asia, prompting the Pentagon's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to treat them as intelligence concerns.
These "orbs" have been observed in various military footage releases and have become a recurring UAP phenotype in conflict zones. The consistency of these sightings suggests they may represent a distinct category of unidentified aerial phenomena.
No official determination has been released by the U.S. military, AARO, or NASIC regarding this specific incident. The footage was obtained through FOIA litigation and represents rare visual evidence of a UAP captured by U.S. military assets in an active warzone.
The original documentation notes the object's origin, intent, and capabilities remain unknown. The Pentagon has not provided an official explanation for the object observed in this footage.
