We are launching a new feature series focusing on first-hand witnesses of UAPs and UFOs. We kick this feature series off with questions we posed to Alex Dietrich, former Navy pilot and witness to the infamous TicTac UFO incident from the Carrier Strike Group U.S.S. Nimitz.
1. Can you tell me a little about being a kid? Have you always wanted to be a pilot? Tell me a little about your hopes and dreams? I find it fascinating that you are such an amazing pilot and
educator. You have accomplished so much, but where did that spark begin?
I am fortunate to come from a family/legacy that values education, travel, adventure, curiosity, arts, sports and community service. Parents and grandparents that encouraged and supported my interests, education and career.
2. You’re a mom. How hard is that? I raised a few of my own- I know how tough it can be!
I didn’t find it overwhelming until COVID hit. They say “it takes a village” and suddenly we were cut off from our village (school, daycare, family, friends) overnight. Now that we are on the other side of the pandemic I am especially grateful for school, camps and playdates where my kids can play with friends and have those important social experiences.
3. Recently, you took on a role at UC Boulder. How is that going? You have an impact on the next
generation of leaders in the Engineering field and focus on leadership and management. Have
you met any students that you think might blow the lid off engineering in the future?
I’m so impressed by the current generation of students! They are thoughtful, curious critical thinkers. I know there is a lot of criticism of the younger generations (work ethic, motivation, etc) but I am confident they are on the right track to create solutions we need for the problems we face.
4. Let’s get into the nitty gritty. In 2004, you were involved in an incident when you were vectored
to an anomaly while you were with the USS Nimitz carrier strike group. There were reports of
anomalous radar hits and you and fellow pilot David Fravor were asked by another warship to
investigate. Going into detail, as much as you can, can you tell me what transpired next?
I’ve told this story 1000 times now…nothing new to report! (Editors Note: You can see an interview here)
5. How well did you see this object, as a trained observer, how or what did you think it was? How
far away were you and what did you see or not see that stuck out to you?
All four of us saw it clearly with our eyes. We didn’t know what it was…hence an “Unidentified” Flying Object.
6. Without giving the exact specs of your own aircraft, what specifically was this tic-tac craft able
to do that you were not with your own craft, and how could it do what it did without flight
surfaces or any visible means of propulsion?
Its speed, maneuverability, agility…it did not follow our normal/expected flight performance envelope.
7. With your knowledge of how aircraft fly, can you explain how this could be accomplished – (tic-
tac) flight characteristics?
No.
8. What specifically was this thing able to do- I have seen this reported to do hard turns instantly,
accelerate and decelerate instantly, and hit speeds unachievable by humans, that you know of-
The g-forces that humans might experience, would do what to the body?
It’s hard to imagine a human at the controls given the high G forces required to make the maneuvers it was making.
9. What were your thoughts when you saw this?
“What the F*#$ is that?!”
10. If this were a foreign power, what would that mean for our military might and ability for us to
defend against this type of technology?
I’m not qualified to make that analysis.
11. The reported flight characteristics were reported to be so far outside the technical envelope-
how many engineering and physics properties were broken, with your knowledge- The reports
are materials physics were far beyond what any known aircraft could withstand. What would
the g-forces do to a structure like that? Speed seems to be far beyond any capacity outside of
anything we know. I would imagine that at the speeds exhibited by this object, if it hit
turbulence, it should essentially break apart with current (known) materials tech?
I’m not a material scientist, so I can’t speak to this.
12. Did you see any type of occupant(s)?
No.
13. Did it scare you? If so, beyond the holy cow, what did you think of the capabilities- and- would
you fly it if you could?
I experienced a roller coaster of emotions throughout the intercept, but I wouldn’t say I was “scared” at any point…I didn’t feel directly threatened…more “anxious” because we didn’t know what it was or what it was doing.
14. What were the measurements that you could discern?
I’ve described the UAP many times…it was about the size of one of our fuselages (without the wings).
15. Could this be a drone? And if so, would it not need to break known physics, material tech and be able to withstand ridiculous amounts of engineering? Or do you think we could figure this out?
Wouldn’t it still exhibit a heat signature if it were a drone? And what type of drone would have
zero flight surfaces?
Maybe? I’m not qualified to make that analysis.
16. If it is not extraterrestrial, what are your thoughts on this type of craft?
I can’t and won’t speculate. It is unidentified.
17. Did you say anything else in the air with Fravor, anything we did not hear that you can share?
There were four aircrew (CDR Fravor and I each had a Weapon System Officer in our back seats). Everyone was excited and talking on the radios.
18. What happened when you landed? Was it met with seriousness, or was it something else?
We debriefed CVIC (Intel Team), but there wasn’t a standard checklist or template to follow so it didn’t feel very thorough. I can’t speak to the reaction of leadership (Captain, Admiral, etc.) because CDR Fravor would have had those conversations. I’ve talked extensively about the ridicule from others on the ship. All in good fun, but discouraging that folks weren’t motivated to stay vigilant or investigate the circumstances further.
19. Do you believe there was a coverup to an extent?
No. I never witnessed, heard about or sensed any sort of coverup.
20. How has this encounter affected you – both personally and professionally?
It had minimal impact until the 60 Minutes interview in 2021. Since then it has been a huge distraction from my personal and professional life. Responding to interview requests (like this) takes time and energy away from my work, my teaching, my family and my hobbies.
21. Is there anything else you would like to share or a statement you would like to make?
I appreciate your thoughtful questions here and reporting on this topic in a serious tone that doesn’t sensationalize or stigmatize the issue further.
22. If you were in front of the Congress- what would you like them to know?
We need a clear reporting mechanism. Support AARO, NASA and FAA partners in establishing a UAP reporting channel that will allow future witnesses to report encounters and qualified experts from across the agencies to analyse and resolve these incidents.
23. And finally- you have advocated for disclosure, and government transparency. You have spoken with
numerous other aviators that have had similar experiences; you’ve spoken with others that contend we
aren’t alone. Do you think this was outside the current understanding of human knowledge?
It’s arrogant for us to assume we “know” much in the big scheme of things! Rather than jumping to conclusions we must collect information in a systematic way to make sense of what we’re seeing. And that goes for more than just UAPs! We need to check assumptions, gather good data, conduct careful analysis and stay humble before nature.
You may find more information about Alex Dietrich here.
Additionally, You can learn more about Americans For Safe Aerospace Here.
