Large Triangle UFOs — An Analysis
Triangular UFOs have been a consistent feature in sighting reports for decades. At Enigma, we've been receiving hundreds of reports of triangular shaped objects over the past few years, an increase since the first reports of triangular UAP in the early 20th century. The first cases of triangular UAP appeared in the cold war era, and gained attention in the 1980s and 1990s, coinciding with advances in stealth aviation technology and a surge in public interest in UFOs.
Early Sightings
- Cold War Era (1950s-1970s): The development of experimental military aircraft and the increasing number of airborne surveillance missions contributed to a rise in reported UFO sightings. Reports of large, silent, triangular craft became more common near military installations.
This photograph, a known hoax, was originally noted as the main photo from the "Belgian UFO wave" - the hoaxers admit "we made the model with polystyrene, we painted it ... then we suspended it in the air ... then we took the photo." (Reuters)
- Belgian UFO Wave (1989-1990): One of the most famous triangular UFO flaps occurred in Belgium, where thousands of witnesses, including police officers and military personnel, reported seeing massive black triangles with bright lights. The Belgian Air Force investigated the incidents, though then-Chief of Operations of the Air Staff, General Wilfried De Brouwer reported "the evidence was insufficient to prove that there were real crafts in the air on that occasion.” (The Week) Into 1990, the Air Force was continually asked about the sightings, though no conclusive explanation has been provided.
- Phoenix Lights (1997): A massive triangular formation of lights was observed by thousands of witnesses across Arizona. While skeptics attribute the event to military flares, others believe the scale and silence of the phenomenon suggest something more mysterious.
- Illinois Triangle Sighting (2000): Multiple police officers in Illinois reported tracking a large triangular craft with bright lights flying silently over the region, moving at an unusual speed and exhibiting non-standard flight patterns.
- USS Russell (2019): The U.S. Navy confirmed the authenticity of a video showing triangular-shaped objects hovering over naval ships. These sightings reignited debates about whether such objects represent advanced technology or something else. Though in 2022, Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence Scott Bray stated “we’re now reasonably confident that these triangles correlate to unmanned aerial systems in the area. The triangular appearance is a result of light passing through the night vision goggles and then being recorded by an SLR camera,” rather than triangular shaped objects. (TWZ)
Triangle Sightings Submitted to Enigma
At Enigma, our team of data scientists and engineers continues to build out internal tools to detect trends and patterns in the UFO sightings reported to us. This includes geographic hotspots, flight patterns, craft behavioral patterns, and craft shapes.
We ran an analysis on the large aerial triangles submitted to us to see what we could learn, particularly about large triangles. Our high level findings:
- A total of 960 total triangle sightings in the United States were submitted to the Enigma network, Dec 2022 - Sept 2024
- 74% of these met our quality bar and were published on our public platform – 710 approved quality triangle sightings
- Of these 710 approved cases, we drilled down further and found 272 large triangle sightings – triangles described as “large,” “huge,” “big,” “gigantic,” which are plotted on this map –
Triangles Seen Near Sensitive Locations
We uncovered that these large triangles have been seen near many of the largest military bases across the US. A sample set around just three bases is shown below. These case links are summaries, not showing the full details. We also have research showing sightings around critical infrastructure, energy sites, and navy destroyers.
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE - NORFOLK, VA
September 28, 2022: Large black silent triangle moved towards base (Case #276247)
November 18, 2023: Large dark silent triangle escorted by military helicopters (Case #290295)
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE - LAS VEGAS, NV March 23, 2024: Large triangle hovering and rotating (Case #290632)
June 8, 2024: Semi-translucent silent huge triangle camouflaged with sky (Case #294295)
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD - SEATAC, WA
September 14, 2023: Large black triangle with lights (Case #281101)
November 29, 2021: Large dark silent triangle with lights (Case #282067)
Triangles with Similar Behavior and Lights Appearing Often Across the US
In addition to these trends around military sites in the US, our systems also detect patterns such as waves of multiple UAP appearing over consecutive days and nights, colloquially called "flaps." Example triangle flaps in our data:
July 14 -18, 2024 triangle flap over California, Arizona, Florida and Tennessee
September 12 - 26, 2023 triangle flap over Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Oklahoma
- Multiple reports said the objects were too large to be a drone.
- Half the accounts reported the objects as silent.
- Several reports say the triangles were dark or semi-translucent, blending in with the sky.
- Consistent pattern that the triangles flew very low, in the range of 600 to 1,000ft. In one account the triangle is viewed from above, from a plane
- Selected case summaries: #281089, #281127, #281101, #281180, #281324, #281585, #286760
Theories and Explanations
As of now, no concrete conclusions have been made about the origins of these sightings, though several theories have been proposed to explain the persistent reports of triangular UFOs:
- Advanced Military Aircraft: Some researchers believe these sightings may be linked to secret U.S. military programs, such as the rumored TR-3B "Black Manta," an alleged black project aircraft capable of stealthy flight and advanced propulsion.
- Extraterrestrial Craft: UFO enthusiasts argue that the characteristics often described—silent flight, extreme maneuverability, and size—could be indicative of non-human technology.
- Misidentified Identifiable Objects: Some skeptics suggest that triangular UFOs might be misidentified conventional aircraft, atmospheric phenomena, or even illusions caused by expectation bias and media influence.
At Enigma, the ongoing investigation into triangular UFOs is poised to yield deeper insights. Whether these mysterious craft are advanced military projects, known objects, or something yet to be understood, future evidence and analysis will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping our understanding of their true nature.
Have you seen anything triangular in the sky? You can report it to us on web or on the Enigma mobile app.
Eyes on the skies!
