For decades, unidentified aerial objects, often labeled as “UAP” or “drones” have been reported near some of the most secure and strategically significant sites on Earth, including nuclear weapons depots, missile silos, power plants, and nuclear research facilities. Whether these incursions stem from foreign surveillance, classified U.S. testing programs, or something not yet understood, their recurrence around nuclear infrastructure poses serious questions for national security.

As airspace grows more crowded, identifying what occupies the skies and determining threats has become increasingly critical.

Historical Context

1940s–1950s: In the early years of the atomic age, sightings were reported near facilities that were central to the creation of the U.S. nuclear program, including Los Alamos in New Mexico, Hanford in Washington, Oak Ridge in Tennessee, and Sandia in New Mexico. Air Force investigations under Projects Sign, Grudge, and Blue Book documented reports of “unknown aerial objects” over these restricted areas.

Around the same time, observers across New Mexico began describing “bright green fireballs” near Kirtland and Sandia Air Force Bases, leading the Air Force to launch Project Twinkle in an effort to capture photographic evidence and determine their origin.

Eyewitness painting of green fireballs observed over New Mexico

1967, Malmstrom AFB, Montana: During a routine watch, security teams reported a glowing red object hovering over a Minuteman missile site just before several missiles unexpectedly shut down. Investigators were unable to determine a cause.

1980, RAF Woodbridge: Near two U.S. Air Force bases that housed nuclear weapons, airmen reported strange lights moving through the nearby Rendlesham Forest, while radar operators observed unexplained activity in the same area. Over three consecutive nights, security teams documented beams of light descending into the woods, unusual electromagnetic readings, and an object described as metallic and triangular in shape. The incident drew official reports from multiple officers. No definitive explanation was ever provided.

USAF security guard John Burroughs drew a sketch of what he observed

1986, Chernobyl, Ukraine: Following the explosion at Reactor No. 4, witnesses described a bright cylindrical object hovering near the burning unit. Reports that radiation levels dipped during the sighting remain unconfirmed but have become part of the Chernobyl narrative.

2011, Fukushima, Japan: After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, witnesses described glowing objects above the site. The sightings were later interpreted as possible surveillance drones or atmospheric reactions, though neither theory was verified.

Modern Reports

Beginning in 2014, nuclear and aviation regulators in Europe and the U.S. began documenting a rise in reports of unidentified aircraft near nuclear facilities. That same year, French authorities opened a national investigation after drones were detected over 17 nuclear power plants.

Between 2015 and 2019, released Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by researcher Douglas D. Johnson revealed at least 57 drone incursions over 24 U.S. nuclear sites. Many of these events involved small unmanned aerial vehicles operating with coordinated flight patterns and extended times.

In September 2019, a swarm of five large drones flew over the Unit 3 reactor at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station in Pennsylvania. Despite new security measures, Palo Verde experienced another unauthorized overflight in December 2019, underscoring how difficult it remains to identify or deter these incursions.

Palo Verde Nuclear Power plant - Unit 3

By 2021, the Department of Homeland Security and related agencies were circulating internal alerts warning energy operators of increased unauthorized aerial activity near nuclear facilities in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Arizona. In response to these repeated events, the NRC now mandates that all nuclear plants formally document and report unidentified aircraft encounters over their premises.

The persistence of these events has also drawn high-level attention. The upcoming documentary The Age of Disclosure features U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly stating , “We’ve had repeated instances of something operating in the airspace over restricted nuclear facilities — and it’s not ours.” Rubio’s admission, echoed by other senior officials interviewed for the film, marks one of the most direct acknowledgments yet that unidentified aerial systems have repeatedly penetrated the airspace of U.S. nuclear sites, raising questions that remain unanswered by both defense and intelligence agencies.

Theories

There are a number of hypotheses for the recurring aerial activity near nuclear sites:

• Radiation: Some researchers suggest that UAPs may be drawn to areas with strong nuclear or electromagnetic activity, possibly responding to energy emissions in ways that remain unexplained.

• Interventionist: Some dramatic accounts (e.g. Chernobyl, Fukushima) are interpreted as instances where UAPs intervene or respond to nuclear accidents.

• Intelligence Operations: Others believe UAPs represent foreign surveillance programs, involving advanced stealth platforms capable of evading conventional detection systems

Undoubtedly, there is observational bias, as nuclear facilities have more sensors, personnel, and perimeter surveillance, so anomalies are more likely to be captured than in other locations.

Regardless, the fact that these sites are tightly controlled and heavily monitored, yet unexplained aerial objects continue to penetrate them, is alarming and raises urgent questions about surveillance, jurisdiction, and defense capabilities.

If these objects belong to foreign intelligence or advanced programs, they expose vulnerabilities in national defense. If they are something unknown to science, they may represent new physics or technology. Either possibility demands improved detection, data sharing, and protective measures.

Enigma Insights

The Enigma platform has logged over 1,500 unidentified aerial sightings within 25 miles of 53 major U.S. nuclear stations, many located in densely populated, commercially active regions. Sightings cluster around nuclear hubs in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Florida, which together house some of the nation’s most critical energy and defense infrastructure.

Enigma sightings near U.S. nuclear sites

Below are highlights from the community’s eyewitness accounts. Several reports come from aviation professionals and military veterans; many describe glowing metallic or silver spherical objects that appear to spin or move in formation, hover for extended periods, and maneuver near restricted airspace.

Reports show a persistent pattern of low-altitude activity near reactors, often involving objects that hover, and also maneuver with high precision. A subset of witness sightings happened within one mile of reactor sites, with witnesses specifically mentioning the craft over “the plant ” or “facility ,” demonstrating aerial presence inside restricted airspace.

A total of 47 sightings reference metallic or reflective objects, including “metallic disks,” “silver spheres,” and “chrome-like columns,” mirroring the characteristics analyzed in Enigma’s analysis on metallic orbs . Witnesses often note a daylight bias, with many sightings occurring at dawn or dusk, and describe “light-to-metal transitions” where objects shift from luminous to reflective before vanishing.

During the height of the U.S. drone surge between December 2024 and January 2025 which sparked widespread public concern, Enigma users along the East Coast reported anomalous aerial activity near critical infrastructure, including nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania , Maryland , Virginia , and North Carolina , Many of these sightings described structured, light-emitting objects that pulsed or changed color before vanishing, mirroring the characteristics of unidentified drones reported across the region.

Below you’ll find a number of highlighted quotes from Enigma users’ eyewitness testimony:

Nuclear Plants with the Highest Density of Sighting Reports