Person
James T. Ryder
Also known as Ryder, Jim Ryder
- Vice President, Lockheed Martin
James T. Ryder was a vice president at Lockheed Martin. He is known in the UAP field almost entirely through allegations made by others, and no statement by him on the subject has been verified.
George Knapp says Ryder, who was close to Skunk Works chief Ben Rich, negotiated during the AAWSAP years to hand Robert Bigelow's BAASS some recovered material, "leftovers, scraps" rather than a whole craft, in exchange for something Bigelow could offer. Knapp says the deal was all but done when Lockheed informed the CIA and Glenn Gaffney blocked it. In September 2025 Knapp named Ryder to Congress as one of the people who have kept the secret. He also said contractors were only doing what the government told them. Luis Elizondo has testified that a transfer to Bigelow was blocked, and Eric Davis tells a similar story without naming Ryder.
None of this has been documented. AARO says the executives of the companies named by its interviewees denied on the record ever holding or reverse-engineering non-human technology. A telepathy remark attributed to Ryder online has not been traced to any recording.
Sources: September 9, 2025 hearing (Knapp) · WEAPONIZED (October 2026) · American Alchemy interview (Davis) · AARO historical report (2024)
Facts and claims
- claimed Testifying in September 2025, George Knapp named him when asked for individuals who have kept the UAP secret: “one of them was named Dr. James Ryder at Lockheed”, adding that he does not fault contractors for doing what the government asked of them. — George Knapp Source: Hearing transcript: Restoring Public Trust Through UAP Transparency and Whistleblower Protection (Sept 9, 2025)
- claimed Knapp says Ryder, a Lockheed vice president close to Ben Rich, negotiated with Robert Bigelow to trade “leftovers, scraps” of recovered material to Bigelow's AAWSAP contractor; that the deal was basically done, with meetings in southern California and Las Vegas; and that the CIA's Glenn Gaffney stopped it. Knapp says he could never report it at the time. — George Knapp Source: Jay Stratton's first on-camera interview, recorded 2022 (WEAPONIZED, released October 2026) at 39:51
- claimed Eric Davis says a senior vice president at the aerospace firm AAWSAP worked with, and the corporation's executive vice president, had to consult Glenn Gaffney, who opposed releasing the company's crash-retrieval material to the program. Davis does not name Ryder. — Eric Davis Source: Eric Davis: “A US President Was Briefed on UFOs!” at 18:08
- documented AARO's 2024 report says the executives, scientists and chief technology officers of the companies named by interviewees met its director and “denied on the record that they have ever recovered, possessed, or engaged in reverse-engineering of extraterrestrial technology”. Source: AARO Historical Record Report, Volume 1
- unverified A remark attributed to him about telepathy and about Russell Targ having worked for him circulates online; it has not been traced to a recording or transcript. — James T. Ryder
Connected files
People
- Glenn Gaffney (allegedly blocked by) — Knapp says Gaffney stopped a deal for Ryder to pass recovered material to Bigelow's AAWSAP contractor
- Robert Bigelow (allegedly negotiated with) — Knapp says Ryder negotiated to hand BAASS “leftovers, scraps” of recovered material
- George Knapp (named by) — Knapp named Ryder as a gatekeeper of recovered material at Lockheed
- Eric Davis (statements by)
Organizations
- Lockheed Martin (worked at)
Concepts
- Remote viewing & telepathy (untraced quote on) — A telepathy remark attributed to Ryder online has not been traced to any recording
Programs
- Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (allegedly involved in) — Knapp says Ryder negotiated to hand BAASS “leftovers, scraps” of recovered material
Videos
- Restoring Public Trust Through UAP Transparency and Whistleblower Protection (discussed in)
- Jay Stratton's first on-camera interview, recorded 2022 (WEAPONIZED, released October 2026) (discussed in)