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Declassified Footage Reveals Nuclear Test That May Have Shot Down a UFO
UAP By Johnathan Declan · Aug 2, 2026

Declassified Footage Reveals Nuclear Test That May Have Shot Down a UFO

On October 26, 1962, during the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the United States conducted an unprecedented high-altitude nuclear test known as Bluegill Triple Prime. This experiment aimed to assess whether a thermonuclear explosion could neutralize incoming Soviet warheads by generating intense X-ray radiation. The detonation occurred approximately 48 kilometers above Johnston Island in the central Pacific Ocean.

The event was meticulously documented through various means, including high-speed camera footage captured by two instrumented KC-135 aircraft designated as KETTLE 1 and KETTLE 2. These recordings initially raised eyebrows due to an unexplained anomaly that emerged during partial declassification of the material in 1998. In the KETTLE 2 film, a sizable object can be observed detaching from the nuclear fireball and falling towards the sea. However, this segment is redacted in the corresponding footage from KETTLE 1.

The Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Army, and EG&G were all involved in the operation, which was part of a larger series of tests called Operation Fishbowl. The specific Bluegill Triple Prime test had been attempted three times previously but failed each time, with one catastrophic failure resulting in a plutonium spill on Johnston Island.

The significance of this event lies not just in its historical context but also in the potential implications for unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP). Recent declassification efforts by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) have shed new light on an incident that could be interpreted as evidence of extraterrestrial activity. According to recently uncovered naval logs from November 1962, the U.S. Navy reportedly recovered a downed unidentified flying object (UFO) following the Bluegill Triple Prime test.

The recovery mission involved divers who later required mental health treatment after witnessing the event. One diver was even awarded a medal for his efforts despite—or perhaps because of—the psychological impact of what he saw underwater. This unusual sequence of events has fueled speculation among UFO enthusiasts and researchers, suggesting that the object shot down by the nuclear blast might have been more than just an anomaly.

While government agencies involved in the test maintain strict confidentiality around certain aspects of the footage, the partial release of information has sparked renewed interest and debate about UAP sightings during the Cold War era. The persistence of classified sections within the declassified material indicates that full disclosure is still years away, with some parts remaining under wraps until 2062.

This revelation underscores the complex interplay between military operations, scientific experimentation, and potential encounters with unidentified phenomena. As more details emerge from historical records, questions continue to arise about the nature of these incidents and their broader implications for national security and scientific inquiry.

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