Ted Stevens

Ted Stevens was a United States Senator from Alaska who, along with Senators Harry Reid and Daniel Inouye, was instrumental in securing the initial funding for the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AAWSAP), the precursor to the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP).¹

Role in Funding AATIP

As a long-serving and powerful senator, Stevens was a key member of the bipartisan trio that controlled congressional spending for "black budget" programs within the Pentagon. His support was crucial in securing the $22 million appropriation that established AAWSAP in 2007.¹

Senator Stevens' interest in the UAP topic may have been influenced by his own experiences as a pilot. During World War II, he flew transport planes for the Army Air Corps over the Himalayas, a region known for strange aerial phenomena. He openly admitted to having witnessed a "foo fighter" - the term used by Allied pilots to describe UAP - during one of his missions.¹