North Sea off Norfolk/Yorkshire; D323A, United Kingdom
Black Circular Objects Over the North Sea: Two RAF Airprox in Six Days
Two RAF Airprox reports six days apart describe small black circular objects at military operating altitudes. On 18 February a Voyager captain and a Typhoon pilot independently saw a black circular object pass about 100–150 ft above the tanker at FL160; radar showed nothing. On 23 February a Typhoon
Why This Case Matters
This is one of the stronger modern UK unknown-object aviation records because trained military aircrew reported similar-looking objects in two separate events, with the first independently seen from two aircraft and documented by an official air-safety investigation.
Chronology
- 18 Feb 10:15 Voyager refuelling Typhoon at FL160
- captain sees black circular object 100-150ft above; Typhoon pilot independently agrees
- Swanwick radar has no contact
- 23 Feb 15:21 Typhoon in D323A sees tyre-sized black circular object ~300ft above
- both investigated by UKAB Apr 2026
The Witnesses
Evidence
The following evidence types are documented for this case:
Conventional explanations: Balloon or drone remains explicitly possible in the 18 Feb report; the 23 Feb object could likewise be balloon/debris/drone. Relative speed and very brief viewing make size/range estimates uncertain.
What Remains Unresolved
- Whether the two incidents share a cause
- meteorological balloon activity
- military range objects/debris
- any sensor/HUD recordings
- full radar data
- exact flight geometry.
Key Takeaways
- Official classification as an unknown object means only that UKAB could not identify it. The first event is evidentially stronger because two aircrew on separate aircraft agreed on description and clearance.
Sources
Primary and secondary sources for this case file: