The [[Tic Tac]] refers to a specific [[Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena|UAP]] encountered by the [[USS Nimitz]] Carrier Strike Group in November 2004. The object was designated the "Tic Tac" by the pilots and crew due to its resemblance to the white, oblong candy. The series of encounters is considered a cornerstone case in modern UAP investigation due to the high-fidelity data collected by multiple military sensor platforms and the corroborating testimony from numerous highly credible and trained observers.[^1] ### The Encounter For approximately two weeks in November 2004, the advanced SPY-1 radar system on the Aegis-class cruiser, the [[USS Princeton]], had been detecting anomalous aerial vehicles. These objects, referred to by the crew as Anomalous Aerial Vehicles (AAVs), would appear suddenly at an altitude of 80,000 feet, descend rapidly to 20,000 feet, hover, and then accelerate out of radar range. On November 14, 2004, a flight of two [[F/A-18 Super Hornet]]s was diverted from a training mission to intercept one of these objects. The flight consisted of Commander [[Dave Fravor]] and his WSO, Commander Jim Slaight, and Lieutenant Commander [[Alex Dietrich]] with her WSO. The pilots were directed to a location where the ocean surface was inexplicably turbulent, as if something large was submerged beneath. Hovering and darting erratically above this disturbance was the Tic Tac. The object was estimated to be about 46 feet long, with a smooth, seamless white surface and no discernible wings, control surfaces, or propulsion system.[^1] Commander Fravor began a spiral descent to approach the object. The Tic Tac responded by ascending towards him, mirroring his maneuvers precisely. When Fravor cut across the circle to close the distance, the Tic Tac accelerated at a velocity that was, in Fravor's words, "like nothing I've ever seen." It vanished in an instant. Shortly thereafter, the USS Princeton reacquired the object on its radar at the squadron's pre-arranged rendezvous point (the CAP point), sixty miles away. The object seemed to have an awareness of the pilots' intended destination, a detail that deeply concerned the investigators.[^1] ### Subsequent Events and Analysis Later that day, a second flight, piloted by Lieutenant Chad Underwood, was launched and managed to acquire the object on its ATFLIR (Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared) pod. The resulting video, which would become famous as the "FLIR1" or "Tic Tac" video, captured the object's incredible performance. The footage shows the object, which registered as cold on the infrared camera, accelerating and maneuvering in ways that defy the known laws of physics and aerodynamics. The object displayed no heat signature, exhaust plume, or any of the conventional signatures of advanced aircraft.[^1] The incident was investigated by [[Jay Stratton]] for the [[Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program]] (AATIP). The analysis concluded that the Tic Tac exhibited performance characteristics well beyond any known technology, including hypersonic velocity and instantaneous acceleration, which would subject a conventional craft to thousands of G-forces. The lack of official follow-up at the time of the incident, and the subsequent dismissal by some in the chain of command, highlighted the deep-seated stigma surrounding the UAP topic within the military.[^1] The public release of the Tic Tac video in 2017, along with the testimony of Commander Fravor and Lieutenant Dietrich, was a seminal event in the UAP disclosure movement. It provided credible, verifiable evidence that forced a public and congressional conversation about the reality of UAP and the potential national security threat they represent.[^1] ### Footnotes [^1]: Elizondo, Luis. *Imminent*. William Morrow, 2024.