The Disclosure Foundation and a coalition of experts in national security, science, and public policy have submitted formal testimony to the Connecticut General Assembly supporting Raised Bill No. 5422, legislation authorizing a state study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, also known as Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP).
The proposed legislation would direct the University of Connecticut to examine how the state can better collect, analyze, and understand data related to UAP incidents, while evaluating the potential for a more durable state-level research and coordination framework.
The Disclosure Foundation and its supporting experts urged the Committee on Appropriations to report the bill favorably and consider future enhancements that would strengthen the state’s ability to gather actionable information on UAP incidents.
Submit Public Testimony
The Connecticut General Assembly is currently accepting written testimony regarding Raised Bill No. 5422, legislation that would authorize a state study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).
Members of the public, researchers, and organizations are encouraged to participate in the legislative process by submitting testimony to the Appropriations Committee.
Full Testimony Submission
Why Connecticut Is Positioned to Lead
Connecticut hosts one of the most concentrated clusters of national security, aerospace, and energy infrastructure on the East Coast, making the state uniquely positioned to contribute to serious research and policy discussion surrounding UAP.
Key assets located in Connecticut include:
Naval Submarine Base New London (Groton) — the primary East Coast submarine installation supporting more than fifteen nuclear attack submarines
Millstone Nuclear Power Station — supplying roughly one-third of Connecticut’s electricity and more than 90 percent of its carbon-free power
Sikorsky / Lockheed Martin (Stratford) — a major aerospace manufacturing and flight test facility
General Dynamics Electric Boat (Groton) — the primary designer and builder of the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine fleet
These assets place Connecticut at the intersection of national defense, advanced aerospace technology, and energy infrastructure, areas where UAP-related incidents have drawn increasing attention from policymakers and researchers.
Regional Context
Recent years have seen documented aerial incursions and unexplained drone activity across the Northeast, including incidents that prompted Connecticut State Police to deploy drone detection systems in Fairfield County in response to regional activity.
These developments have intensified discussion about the need for improved reporting, monitoring, and research frameworks related to unidentified aerial activity.
At the federal level, agencies such as the Department of Defense’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) have investigated thousands of UAP reports and documented statistical clustering near sensitive military installations and infrastructure.
State-level initiatives are now emerging as a complementary layer of oversight and research.
New Jersey has already taken a significant step in this direction. In 2026, the state enacted legislation allocating approximately $2.5 million annually for a university-based research center dedicated to the study of unidentified anomalous phenomena, becoming the first U.S. state to fund a formal academic program focused on UAP.
Connecticut’s proposed study would build on this momentum by evaluating how the state can develop its own research and reporting framework. Together, these initiatives signal a broader shift toward serious, institutional approaches to studying unidentified aerial activity at the state level.
Testimony Submitted by Experts Across Multiple Fields
The Connecticut submission included statements and letters from experts spanning national security, aerospace policy, science, and public safety.
Contributors included:
Christopher Mellon
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence;
Former Staff Director, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
Kirk McConnell
Former Professional Staff Member, Senate Armed Services and Intelligence Committees; Former Professional Staff Member, House Intelligence Committee
Mike Gold
Former NASA Associate Administrator for Space Policy and Partnerships;
Member, NASA UAP Independent Study Team
Anna Brady-Estevez, PhD
Founding and Managing Partner, American DeepTech;
Former Director, NSF Deep Technology Investments
Keith Louis Taylor, Sr., EdD.
Former NYPD Emergency Service Unit Supervisor;
Adjunct Assistant Professor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Their testimony reflects a growing consensus among policy experts and scientists that UAP deserve serious, structured investigation using modern research tools and institutional frameworks.
Building a Framework for Serious Research
The Disclosure Foundation supports rigorous scientific inquiry and responsible public policy development on UAP.
Initiatives like Raised Bill No. 5422 represent an opportunity for states to:
Improve awareness of aerial incidents affecting critical infrastructure
Encourage serious academic research into unexplained phenomena
Foster collaboration between state institutions, federal agencies, and universities
As national attention on UAP continues to grow, structured research programs and transparent policy frameworks will play an increasingly important role in advancing understanding of the phenomenon.
The Disclosure Foundation is grateful to the Connecticut General Assembly for considering this legislation and appreciates the opportunity to provide testimony supporting its passage.
Readers can review the full submission package above, which includes detailed testimony and supporting statements from experts across the national security, aerospace, and scientific communities.
