August 4, 2020 approval; August 14 announcement / T221
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force established
US Department of Defense; Navy-led task force
Witness account
The Deputy Secretary of Defense approved establishment of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force on August 4, and DoD publicly announced it on August 14. The Navy-led body was placed under the oversight of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security. Its stated purpose included improving understanding and detection of UAP and evaluating potential national-security threats.
Public record
Official Navy and DoD announcements document the approval, leadership structure and mission. They make the distinction between the approval and announcement dates unusually clear. The later June 2021 ODNI assessment provides a public product associated with the task force's collection and analytical work.