USS Russell Sphere Transmedium Swarm

In July 2019, U.S. Navy destroyers off the coast of San Diego experienced something that remains unexplained: swarms of unidentified objects that operated around the ships for multiple nights, captured on naval equipment, and investigated by the highest levels of the defense establishment.

The Swarm Events - July 2019

Over several nights in July 2019, multiple U.S. Navy destroyers operating in the Pacific off San Diego reported encounters with unknown objects:

The Ships: USS Russell, USS Kidd, USS Rafael Peralta, USS John Finn, and USS Paul Hamilton all documented encounters.

The Objects: Personnel described spherical objects that moved in ways inconsistent with known technology.

Duration: The encounters occurred over multiple nights, suggesting persistent surveillance or presence.

Numbers: Swarms of objects - sometimes numerous - appeared around the vessels.

The Russell Footage

The most famous footage from these encounters came from the USS Russell:

The Video: Night vision footage captured what appears to be pyramid or triangle-shaped objects hovering and blinking over the ship.

Visual Description: The objects appear as triangular or pyramidal shapes with flashing lights at each apex.

Flight Characteristics: The objects hover steadily despite naval conditions and display no visible propulsion.

Pentagon Confirmation: The Department of Defense confirmed the authenticity of this footage in 2021.

Characteristics Observed

The objects displayed several notable characteristics:

Spheres and Pyramids: Different shaped objects were reported - some spherical, others appearing triangular or pyramidal.

Transmedium Capability: Some reports suggested the objects operated both in the air and potentially in or under the water.

Swarm Behavior: Multiple objects operating in apparent coordination around the vessels.

Extended Duration: Objects maintained presence for hours across multiple nights.

Radar Detection: The objects were detected on ship radar systems as well as visually observed.

Military Response

The Navy took the encounters seriously:

Documentation: Ships’ logs recorded the encounters.

Reporting Channels: Reports were filed through official UAP reporting mechanisms.

Investigation: The encounters were investigated by naval intelligence and later by the UAP Task Force.

Congressional Briefings: The incidents were reportedly discussed in classified congressional briefings.

The Drone Theory

Some have suggested the objects were drones:

Arguments For:

• Drones can fly in swarms
• Some shapes could be explained by consumer or military drones
• The locations were near the coast where drone operations could originate

Arguments Against:

• The flight characteristics exceeded known drone capabilities
• Navy ships have sophisticated drone detection systems
• No operators or source was ever identified
• The objects’ behaviors didn’t match drone flight profiles

The Navy has stated they were unable to identify the objects as drones or any other known technology.

Connection to Other Incidents

The 2019 swarm events fit a pattern of naval encounters:

2004 Nimitz Encounter: The Tic Tac incident occurred in the same general area.

2015 Roosevelt Encounters: East Coast Navy pilots encountered similar phenomena.

Ongoing Reports: Navy personnel have reported continued encounters with unusual aerial objects.

The Pacific off San Diego appears to be a particularly active area for such encounters.

Official Acknowledgment

The 2019 events contributed to the broader UAP disclosure:

Pentagon Confirmation: Defense officials confirmed the Russell footage and other materials were authentic.

Task Force Formation: The encounters contributed to the formation of the UAP Task Force and later AARO (All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office).

Congressional Action: The incidents helped drive congressional interest in UAP transparency.

The Investigation

Multiple agencies investigated:

Navy Intelligence: Initial investigation by naval intelligence.

UAP Task Force: Subsequently examined by the official UAP investigation effort.

AARO: Now part of the broader portfolio of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office.

Despite these investigations, no public explanation has been provided.

What Were They?

The 2019 swarm events remain unexplained:

Foreign Surveillance: Adversary nations conducting surveillance operations with advanced technology.

U.S. Black Projects: Classified American programs being tested against the Navy.

Unknown Technology: Objects representing technology beyond current human capabilities.

Natural Phenomena: Misidentification of natural events (largely rejected by witnesses).

The official position remains: unknown aerial phenomena.

Legacy

The USS Russell and associated ship encounters of 2019 represent some of the most recent and well-documented military UFO encounters. They demonstrate:

• Ongoing UAP activity around U.S. naval assets
• The Navy’s willingness to document and report such encounters
• The shift toward transparency in government UFO policy
• Continued mystery about what operates in U.S. military airspace

Whatever swarmed those destroyers off San Diego in July 2019, it was neither identified nor explained. The footage exists. The witnesses spoke. And the questions remain.

Sources

• Pentagon confirmed footage (2021)
• USS Russell ship logs
• Congressional UAP briefings
• Department of Defense public statements