True story.....
1996, arctic survival school, Eielson AFB. About 1900 we are doing flare training, students poping red nighttime flares. A BIG fireball appears overhead, and flashes to the south. One Tech asks "was that a ufo?" Another student, a Major, at that time assigned to NORAD, told us in a round about way that "you dont know, and your dont want to know".
UFOs are real, but i really don't think our government has a clue has to what they are..natural or alien.