Lexicon · Person

Jay Stratton

Jay Stratton is a U.S. intelligence official, a senior analyst at the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), and former director of the Pentagon's UAP Task Force (UAPTF). Since 2025 he has claimed that he has seen non-human craft and beings with his own eyes.

John “Jay” Stratton is a U.S. intelligence official who spent more than 32 years in government service; his civilian position was equivalent to the rank of a two-star general. He worked as a senior analyst at the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) and played a leading role in the Pentagon's investigations of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP).

Role

Stratton was the director of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF). The Navy-led task force collected and analyzed unidentified aerial sightings recorded by military pilots and sensors; its responsibilities were later taken over by AARO (All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office). Among other things, Stratton also led the investigation of the 2004 “Tic Tac” case, observed by pilots belonging to the USS Nimitz group.

In February 2025, responding to a question from The Black Vault, he denied a report published by The Debrief in 2020, according to which an F/A-18 pilot had allegedly photographed a triangle-shaped object emerging from the water and the task force had allegedly investigated it. According to Stratton, they never received such a photo.

What he claims

In the documentary The Age of Disclosure, released on Amazon Prime in November 2025, of which he was also an executive producer, Stratton claims that he has seen non-human craft and non-human beings with his own eyes, and that the most compelling evidence is classified. It was announced that his memoir will be published by William Morrow, and the adaptation rights were acquired by Dan Farah, the film's producer.

Official finding and skeptical positions

According to the official finding of the Pentagon and AARO, there is no evidence that any UAP case is linked to extraterrestrial technology, or that the U.S. government is hiding alien craft or beings; most reports can be explained by ordinary objects, sensor errors or lack of data. In his review of the film, skeptic researcher Michael Shermer emphasizes that the viewer has no way of verifying Stratton's personal account, and the film presents no physical evidence, clear footage or material evidence, while extraordinary claims would require extraordinary evidence.

Sources

  1. NewsNation: High-ranking Pentagon insider to release UFO memoir
  2. Skeptic: The Aliens Are Here (Again)! A Review of The Age of Disclosure
  3. The Black Vault: FOIA-Released Emails Mention Alleged Triangular UAP Photo; Former UAP Task Force Director Speaks Out (2025. február 26.)
  4. The Black Vault: FOIA Release Reveals Secret Charter Behind Creation of Pentagon's UAP Task Force

Related stories