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Person

James Lacatski

Former DIA program manager for AAWSAP; co-author of books on the program

2008– · AAWSAP, BAASS, and Skinwalker · Official

A DIA official, now retired, he was in charge of the AAWSAP program, funded at Harry Reid's initiative. He is co-author with Colm Kelleher and George Knapp of two books on the program, including “Skinwalkers at the Pentagon” (2021). According to Knapp, he told a senator and a DHS undersecretary that the United States possesses a craft of unknown origin and has managed to gain access to it, without wishing to say more.

Key claims
  • According to Knapp, he claimed that the United States possesses a craft of unknown origin and has gotten inside it.
  • In a statement cleared by DOPSR in 2023, cited by Elizondo, he writes that the $22 million of AAWSAP was meant to equip Bigelow's facilities to receive UAP material from Lockheed Martin.
Controversies
  • According to the Kona Blue documents released by AARO, former AAWSAP participants proposed to DHS in 2011 a reverse-engineering program, rejected for lack of merit and never funded.

Documented authority

It measures how documented and verifiable what the person claims is, not their honesty. Each criterion is scored from 0 to 2.

Credentials 2/2
His role as DIA program manager is indicated by multiple sources, including Knapp's testimony to Congress.
Direct access 1/2
As program manager he had direct access to its work, but the claim about the craft is relayed by third parties and undocumented.
Evidence provided 0/2
He has not made public any evidence of the craft he allegedly described.
Claims track record not applicable
The sources consulted do not trace the outcome of any verifiable claims made by this person.
Conflicts of interest 0/2
He is co-author of commercial books on the program he directed.

Sources

  1. Written testimony of George Knapp to the House, September 9, 2025 (PDF) (primary source)
  2. Elizondo's written answers to Congress's questions, December 19, 2024 (PDF) (primary source)
  3. Kona Blue documents declassified by the DoD and DHS (PDF) (primary source)
  4. Washington Spectator (Art Levine), July 20, 2023: “Spaceship of Fools” (press, skeptical)
  5. Metabunk: excerpts from “Skinwalkers at the Pentagon” (2021) (analysis, skeptical)

On this site

Documents 1

Where the claims come from 1

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UAPgrade's entries are compiled with artificial intelligence (three verifiers with opposing roles) and checked against the sources listed above: how we work. Have a document that changes this entry? Bring it to the Investigations Unit.