Program · 2009 – 2012

Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program

Also known as AAWSAP

The Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program was a $22 million Defense Intelligence Agency program, funded in the 2008 and 2010 defense appropriations at Senator Harry Reid's direction, established in 2009 and ended in 2012. Its contractor, which AARO leaves unnamed, was BAASS, a subsidiary of Robert Bigelow's Bigelow Aerospace, as its own monthly reports in the PURSUE release show. AARO says the contract covered research in 12 aerospace-technology areas and did not specify UFO investigation, but the contractor studied UFO reports and related phenomena, including at Bigelow's Skinwalker Ranch in Utah, with the support of the DIA program manager, by his own account James Lacatski. AARO also says it was the same program as AATIP.

It commissioned 38 technical papers, the DIRDs, on subjects such as traversable wormholes, warp drives, negative energy and high-frequency gravitational-wave communications, and became public, under the name AATIP, through The New York Times on 16 December 2017. In books cleared by the Pentagon's pre-publication review, Lacatski has stated that the U.S. possesses a UFO and has gained access to its interior; an alleged plan to transfer a recovered craft to Bigelow Aerospace remains unverified.

Sources: AARO Historical Record Report, Vol. 1 (2024) · Lacatski, Kelleher & Knapp, Skinwalkers at the Pentagon (2021)

Facts and claims

documented AARO's historical report: at Senator Reid's direction, the FY2008 and FY2010 defense appropriations gave DIA $22 million; DIA “established AAWSAP in 2009, which was also known AATIP”, and awarded the contract “to a private sector organization”. It was terminated in 2012. Source: doc-aaro-historical-record-report-v1.pdf
documented The contract's purpose was research in 12 aerospace-technology areas; UFO investigation “was not specifically outlined in the contract's statement of work”, though the contractor conducted UFO research with the support of the DIA program manager. Source: doc-aaro-historical-record-report-v1.pdf
documented The contractor was Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies (BAASS): its monthly reports to the program, starting with April 2009, were released in PURSUE release 07. Source: DOW-UAP-D170 — BAASS Monthly Report, April 2009
claimed Initiated by DIA scientist Dr. James Lacatski with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). — James Lacatski Source: Skinwalkers at the Pentagon: An Insiders' Account of the Secret Government UFO Program
claimed David Grusch alleges that AAWSAP's real purpose was to receive recovered material: Lockheed Martin wanted to divest 1950s hull fragments to Bigelow's facility, but the CIA killed the transfer. Luis Elizondo testified that an aerospace contractor asked to divest material “collected in the 1950s”, that the transfer to Bigelow Aerospace was blocked, and that it required a Secretary of the Air Force memo that never came. — David Grusch Source: Joe Rogan Experience #2065 - David Grusch at 29:16
documented Commissioned technical papers (the DIRDs) on traversable wormholes, warp drives, negative energy and high-frequency gravitational-wave communications. Source: Defense Intelligence Reference Documents (DIRDs)
documented The New York Times revealed the program on December 16, 2017, under the name AATIP; AARO later stated that AAWSAP and AATIP were names for the same program. Source: The New York Times reveals the Pentagon UFO program
claimed Lacatski has stated, in books cleared by the Pentagon’s DOPSR, that the U.S. possesses a UFO and has gained access to its interior. — James Lacatski Source: Inside the US Government Covert UFO Program: Initial Revelations

Connected files

Events

The New York Times reveals the Pentagon UFO program (subject of) — The Times named the program AATIP; AARO later identified it with AAWSAP
PURSUE Release 07: federal agents' triangle sighting and AAWSAP's working files (files released in) — Ten records add AAWSAP's working files from the BAASS contract (2008–2010)

People

Colm Kelleher (staff)
David Grusch (claims by) — He alleges AAWSAP's real purpose was to receive recovered material from Lockheed, a transfer the CIA killed
Eric Davis (staff) — He wrote Defense Intelligence Reference Documents under the AAWSAP contract
George Knapp (chronicled by) — He called AAWSAP the largest acknowledged UFO program and co-wrote the books on it
Glenn Gaffney (allegedly blocked by) — Knapp, Davis and Chris Sharp say he blocked Lockheed from handing material to BAASS
Hal Puthoff (contractor) — From 2008 his EarthTech was a subcontractor to BAASS under the AAWSAP contract
James T. Ryder (allegedly involves) — Knapp says Ryder negotiated to hand BAASS “leftovers, scraps” of recovered material
Jay Stratton (co-founding claimed by) — On loan to DIA in 2009 he worked on AAWSAP and, by his account, helped found it
Luis Elizondo (staff) — He says he was recruited into AAWSAP around 2009; it evolved into AATIP
Robert Bigelow (contractor) — His subsidiary BAASS won the $22 million AAWSAP contract
James Lacatski (managed by) — Lacatski's own account (Skinwalkers at the Pentagon); AARO says only that “a DIA employee set up and managed the contract”
Harry Reid (requested by) — AARO: the FY2008 and FY2010 appropriations for the work were made “At the direction of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid”

Programs

Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (also called) — AARO: “The names AAWSAP and AATIP have been used interchangeably for the name of this program”
KONA BLUE (grew into)

Organizations

Bigelow Aerospace (contractor)
Defense Intelligence Agency (run by)

Places

Skinwalker Ranch (studied) — It studied reports of UFOs and related phenomena, including at Bigelow's Skinwalker Ranch

Official records (PURSUE)

Videos

Lacatski, Kelleher and Knapp on “Skinwalkers at the Pentagon” (Mystery Wire, October 2021) (subject of)
Eric Weinstein Debates CIA UFO Expert Hal Puthoff (American Alchemy) (discussed in)
Inside the DIA's Secretive UFO Investigation: Lacatski and Kelleher on WEAPONIZED #38 (October 2023) (subject of)
Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth (discussed in)
The Sol Forum #1: Hal Puthoff, Jacques Vallée and Larry Lemke (discussed in)
Restoring Public Trust Through UAP Transparency and Whistleblower Protection (discussed in)
“He ran the Pentagon's secret UFO program, and says we've been played”: James Lacatski, part 1 (WEAPONIZED, November 2025) (subject of)
“The Government UFO Boss”: James Lacatski, part 2, on New Insights (WEAPONIZED, November 2025) (subject of)
Mystery Wire: the Bigelow–Lacatski connection, AAWSAP and New Insights (8 News Now, January 2026) (subject of)
Varginha press conference at the National Press Club: James Fox and the Brazilian witnesses (NewsNation live, 20 January 2026) (discussed in)
Craft of unknown origin and the paranormal umbrella: Lacatski on Future Visions (8 News Now, April 2026) (subject of)
“This is UFO disclosure, as far as it can go”: James Lacatski on Future Visions (WEAPONIZED, April 2026) (subject of)
David Grusch on the Dr. Phil Podcast: craft, cadavers and the retrieval program (August 2026) (discussed in)
Jay Stratton on CUOMO: a non-human being at his window and the Legacy Program (NewsNation, 20 October 2026) (discussed in)
Jay Stratton's first on-camera interview, recorded 2022 (WEAPONIZED, released October 2026) (discussed in)
Hal Puthoff Presentation 06/08/2018 (discussed in)
Eric Davis: “A US President Was Briefed on UFOs!” (discussed in)
Breaking UFO Story: ‘Immaculate Constellation’ UFO Program (Ft. Michael Shellenberger) (discussed in)
Top Navy Admiral: “The Ocean is FULL OF UFOs!” (discussed in)
Joe Rogan Experience #2065 - David Grusch (discussed in)
Joe Rogan Experience #2314: Hal Puthoff (discussed in)

Mentioned in this file

PURSUE — Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters (Program)
All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (Program)

Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program

Facts and claims

Connected files

Books

Claims

Documents