The scientist and military intelligence officer leading the Pentagon's task force for unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs) -- which the public calls UFOs -- says being caught off guard by "intelligent or extraterrestrial technical supremacy" remains a top concern as investigators analyze more than 800 cases of mysterious sightings reported by U.S. military personnel dating back decades.

"Data and science has to guide where you go, and we will follow the data," Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick said last month, in an exclusive first interview after his appointment to the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO.

Congress established the office last year to coordinate efforts across federal agencies to "detect, identify and attribute" mysterious objects of interest in the air, in outer space and underwater, with special focus on mitigating potential threats to military operations and national security.

"The most common misconception is that (the possible phenomena) are all the same thing and they're all extraterrestrial, and neither of those are true," Kirkpatrick said.

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