What really happened in the cube in sphere near miss?

Introduction

The most important Virginia Beach UAP claim is not a story about aliens. It is a reported near miss between Navy fighter jets and an unidentified object in restricted training airspace off the Virginia coast. According to former Navy F/A-18 pilot Ryan Graves, the incident occurred during a 2014 training mission in Warning Area W-72, roughly 10 miles offshore. Two Super Hornets were entering their assigned training area when a strange object described as a dark cube inside a transparent sphere appeared directly in their path, forcing evasive action and an immediate end to the mission. [Oversight Committee]oversight.house.govRyan HOC TestimonyOversight CommitteeRyan HOC TestimonyJul 25, 2023 — Just at the moment the two jets crossed the threshold, one of the pilots saw a dark g…

That claim matters because it shifts the discussion away from distant lights or ambiguous photographs and into aviation safety. If the account is broadly accurate, pilots encountered something physically present in airspace used for high-speed military operations. Even sceptics who reject extraordinary explanations generally agree that an unidentified object near fast-moving aircraft represents a genuine flight-risk question. The unresolved issue is not whether the event was unusual, but what the object actually was and how much of the story can be independently verified. [Oversight Committee]oversight.house.govRyan HOC TestimonyOversight CommitteeRyan HOC TestimonyJul 25, 2023 — Just at the moment the two jets crossed the threshold, one of the pilots saw a dark g…

What happened during the W-72 training mission?

The public version of the incident comes mainly from Graves’ later interviews and congressional testimony. He has consistently placed the encounter in the offshore military training areas used by aircraft operating from Naval Air Station Oceana near Virginia Beach. According to his account, pilots had already been reporting unusual radar contacts after upgrades to the APG-79 radar systems fitted to F/A-18 Super Hornets. At first, many aircrew assumed the detections were software glitches or sensor problems. [Maryland Matters]marylandmatters.orgMaryland Matters Is there evidence of extraterrestrial life?Congress tries to…Jul 27, 2023 — A “pivotal incident” occurred in 2014 during an air combat training mission 10 miles off the coast of… [newsweek]newsweek.comFormer Navy Pilot Describes Weird 'Black Cube' That Flew…Oct 19, 2022 — Former US Navy pilot Ryan Graves gave a detailed description o… The near miss became significant because it allegedly involved a direct visual sighting rather than a radar track alone.

Graves told Congress that two aircraft entering a training area encountered what one pilot described as a dark grey or black cube enclosed within a clear sphere. He said the object appeared stationary despite the wind conditions and occupied the precise location and altitude where the training mission was due to begin. The two jets, flying relatively close together, were forced to manoeuvre around it. The mission was then cancelled and the aircraft returned to base. Oversight Committee [Maryland Matters]marylandmatters.orgMaryland Matters Is there evidence of extraterrestrial life?Congress tries to…Jul 27, 2023 — A “pivotal incident” occurred in 2014 during an air combat training mission 10 miles off the coast of…

In later questioning, Graves said the pilots came within roughly 50 feet of the object. He also described the witness returning to the ready room visibly shaken after landing and reporting that he had nearly collided with one of the unidentified objects that crews had been discussing. [Congressional Dish]congressionaldish.comCongressional Dish CD278: All Three UAP HearingsCongressional DishCD278: All Three UAP HearingsMay 16, 2021 — Jaime Raskin (D-MD): I'm sorry, dark gray or black cubes? Ryan Graves: Yes…Published: May 16, 2021

One reason the story gained attention is the unusual description itself. Graves stated that the object resembled a cube whose corners touched the inside of a transparent sphere. Multiple later interviews repeated essentially the same geometry. Whether that description reflects an actual object, an optical impression or a memory reconstructed years later remains a matter of debate, but the consistency of the account has made it one of the most recognisable details in modern UAP testimony. [Congressional Dish]congressionaldish.comCongressional Dish CD278: All Three UAP HearingsCongressional DishCD278: All Three UAP HearingsMay 16, 2021 — Jaime Raskin (D-MD): I'm sorry, dark gray or black cubes? Ryan Graves: Yes…Published: May 16, 2021

Why pilots treated the encounter as a safety hazard

The flight-safety aspect is what separates this case from many older UFO reports in Virginia.

Military pilots routinely operate in complex environments containing other aircraft, drones, range equipment, weather phenomena and electronic interference. Unexpected objects are not automatically treated as mysterious. What concerned Graves and other aviators was the possibility that something untracked or unidentified was occupying airspace where fast jets were conducting training manoeuvres. [YouTube]youtube.comEyewitness UFO Encounters | Ryan Graves (Ep. 334)In today's episode, we have a fascinating conversation with Ryan Graves… Ryan'…

Several features of the reported incident contributed to the safety concern:

• The object was allegedly located in an active military training area rather than distant civilian airspace.
• The pilots reported a close visual encounter rather than a radar-only contact.
• The aircraft were moving at speeds where even a small collision hazard could be catastrophic.
• Aircrew apparently did not know whether the object was a drone, balloon, classified system or something else entirely.
• Graves said there was no clear reporting pathway that produced a visible investigation or operational response. Oversight Committee [Maryland Matters]marylandmatters.orgMaryland Matters Is there evidence of extraterrestrial life?Congress tries to…Jul 27, 2023 — A “pivotal incident” occurred in 2014 during an air combat training mission 10 miles off the coast of…

The concern was serious enough that Graves has repeatedly said a flight-safety report was filed after the encounter. In aviation culture, filing such a report is not a casual action. Safety reporting exists to identify hazards before they lead to accidents. That does not prove the object was extraordinary, but it does suggest that the witnesses regarded the event as operationally significant rather than merely strange. [Reddit]reddit.comRedditNew York Times interviews Navy fighter pilots who…It looked to the pilot, Lieutenant Graves said, like a sphere encasing a cube…

This distinction is important when placing the case within Virginia’s UFO history. Earlier state cases often depended on civilian observers reporting lights, shapes or manoeuvres from the ground. The cube-in-sphere story entered public discussion because it involved trained military personnel describing a potential collision risk in controlled airspace. [Maryland Matters]marylandmatters.orgMaryland Matters Is there evidence of extraterrestrial life?Congress tries to…Jul 27, 2023 — A “pivotal incident” occurred in 2014 during an air combat training mission 10 miles off the coast of…

Did the near miss change how the Navy viewed UAP reports?

The public evidence suggests the encounter became part of a broader pattern of concern rather than a standalone event.

Graves has argued that sightings around the Virginia Beach operating areas became frequent enough to be discussed informally among crews. He described them as an “open secret” within parts of the aviation community. According to his testimony, pilots continued reporting unusual contacts for years after the initial radar upgrades. [Maryland Matters]marylandmatters.orgMaryland Matters Is there evidence of extraterrestrial life?Congress tries to…Jul 27, 2023 — A “pivotal incident” occurred in 2014 during an air combat training mission 10 miles off the coast of… [axios]axios.comva sightings detailed ufo hearingsAxiosVirginia sightings detailed in UFO hearings31 Jul 2023 — What's happening: Ryan Graves, a former Navy F-18 pilot, called the sightin… The wider significance emerged years later when the Navy revised procedures for reporting unidentified aerial encounters and when Congress began holding public hearings on UAP. The Virginia Beach accounts became one of the most frequently cited examples because they combined military witnesses, a named location, a reported safety report and a specific near-collision narrative. [Reddit]reddit.comunderreported uap encounters 2014 virginia beachCube-in-Sphere Sighting Confirmed Across Radar, IR, and Visual Identification. Play. UAP are present in airspace but underreported due to…

However, there is no publicly released evidence showing that the cube-in-sphere encounter directly triggered policy changes. The event is better understood as one case within a larger cluster of reports that helped push military and congressional attention toward the issue of unidentified objects in operational airspace. [Stars and Stripes]stripes.comufos uap congress pentagon navy veterans aliens 10864115Stars and Stripes'UAP are in our airspace': Former military personnel warn…Jul 26, 2023 — Graves said he first became aware of UAPs in…

What sceptics and investigators question

The strongest sceptical point is straightforward: almost all public information comes from witness testimony rather than released technical evidence.

No publicly available radar tracks, cockpit video, flight-safety report, range-control records or sensor data have been released that independently confirm the object’s appearance, location or behaviour. As a result, outside investigators cannot fully reconstruct the event. [Oversight Committee]oversight.house.govRyan HOC TestimonyOversight CommitteeRyan HOC TestimonyJul 25, 2023 — Just at the moment the two jets crossed the threshold, one of the pilots saw a dark g…

Several alternative explanations remain possible in principle:

None of these explanations has been conclusively demonstrated using public evidence. Equally, none has been ruled out. The lack of released data leaves analysts relying heavily on witness credibility and consistency. [Reddit]reddit.comHad small white flat rectangle lights on each corner, and…Read more…

Another point of caution is chronology. Much of the public discussion emerged years after the original event, especially through interviews, media appearances and congressional testimony. Memory can remain accurate over long periods, but investigators generally prefer contemporaneous records when assessing aviation incidents. The absence of those records from the public domain limits what can be proven. [Oversight Committee]oversight.house.govRyan HOC TestimonyOversight CommitteeRyan HOC TestimonyJul 25, 2023 — Just at the moment the two jets crossed the threshold, one of the pilots saw a dark g…

What the public record still cannot prove

The cube-in-sphere near miss remains one of the most discussed Virginia-linked UAP cases because it combines a vivid description with a concrete safety claim. Yet the central questions remain unanswered.

The public record does not establish the object’s origin, composition or purpose. It does not prove that the object displayed impossible technology. It does not show whether the object was tracked continuously by multiple sensors during the near miss. It does not reveal whether investigators later identified a conventional explanation. [Oversight Committee]oversight.house.govRyan HOC TestimonyOversight CommitteeRyan HOC TestimonyJul 25, 2023 — Just at the moment the two jets crossed the threshold, one of the pilots saw a dark g…

What can be said with greater confidence is narrower. A former Navy pilot has repeatedly stated under public scrutiny that fellow aviators reported a near collision with an unidentified object in the Virginia Beach training ranges. The account has remained broadly consistent across interviews, journalism and congressional testimony. The event was reportedly treated seriously enough to generate a safety report and to become part of a wider discussion about unidentified objects in military airspace. Oversight Committee [Maryland Matters]marylandmatters.orgMaryland Matters Is there evidence of extraterrestrial life?Congress tries to…Jul 27, 2023 — A “pivotal incident” occurred in 2014 during an air combat training mission 10 miles off the coast of…

That leaves the Virginia Beach cube-in-sphere encounter in an unusual category within Virginia’s UFO history. It is neither a solved case nor a verified demonstration of extraordinary technology. Its lasting importance comes from the safety question at its centre: if military pilots genuinely encountered an unidentified object at close range in a restricted training area, understanding what it was becomes an aviation issue before it becomes a UFO mystery. [Stars and Stripes]stripes.comufos uap congress pentagon navy veterans aliens 10864115Stars and Stripes'UAP are in our airspace': Former military personnel warn…Jul 26, 2023 — Graves said he first became aware of UAPs in…

Amazon book picks

Further Reading

Books and field guides related to What really happened in the cube in sphere near miss?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.

Book

UFOs

By Leslie Kean

Includes military and aviation cases closest to the near-miss theme.

See on Amazon

Book

In Plain Sight

By Ross Coulthart

Discusses military sightings and unresolved encounters.

See on Amazon

Book

Imminent

By Luis Elizondo

Relevant to military-airspace safety and unidentified-object reporting.

See on Amazon

Book

The Right Stuff

By Tom Wolfe

Rating: 4.5/5 from 8 Google Books ratings

Provides pilot-culture and flight-risk context.

See on Amazon

Browse more on Amazon: UFOs In Plain Sight Imminent

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Endnotes

1. Source: stripes.com
   Title: ufos uap congress pentagon navy veterans aliens 10864115
   Link: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2023-07-26/ufos-uap-congress-pentagon-navy-veterans-aliens-10864115.html
   Source snippet

   Stars and Stripes'UAP are in our airspace': Former military personnel warn...Jul 26, 2023 — Graves said he first became aware of UAPs in...

2. Source: newsweek.com
   Link: https://www.newsweek.com/ufo-navy-pilot-joe-rogan-podcast-experience-ryan-graves-black-cube-latest-1753132
   Source snippet

   Former Navy Pilot Describes Weird 'Black Cube' That Flew...Oct 19, 2022 — Former US Navy pilot Ryan Graves gave a detailed description o...

3. Source: reddit.com
   Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/btte4d/like_a_sphere_encasing_a_cube_new_york_times/
   Source snippet

   RedditNew York Times interviews Navy fighter pilots who...It looked to the pilot, Lieutenant Graves said, like a sphere encasing a cube...

4. Source: youtube.com
   Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnQtfv93agA
   Source snippet

   Eyewitness UFO Encounters | Ryan Graves (Ep. 334)In today's episode, we have a fascinating conversation with Ryan Graves... Ryan'...

5. Source: axios.com
   Title: va sightings detailed ufo hearings
   Link: https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2023/07/31/va-sightings-detailed-ufo-hearings
   Source snippet

   AxiosVirginia sightings detailed in UFO hearings31 Jul 2023 — What's happening: Ryan Graves, a former Navy F-18 pilot, called the sightin...

6. Source: youtube.com
   Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf6y9QHj5S8
   Source snippet

   ospace at hearing on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP)...

7. Source: youtube.com
   Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20xeGkqIZeE
   Source snippet

   and Lex Fridman. 185K views · 3 years ago...more...

8. Source: youtube.com
   Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwzgzHHuaPE
   Source snippet

   Former Navy pilot testifies on UFOsFormer F-18 pilot Ryan Graves testified before Congress on July 26, 2023 about witnessing UAP, commonl...

   Published: July 26, 2023

9. Source: youtube.com
   Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNiPCV6cAP4
   Source snippet

   te for decades eroding public trust...

10. Source: reddit.com
    Title: underreported uap encounters 2014 virginia beach
    Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/UfoUapNews/comments/1ryowju/underreported_uap_encounters_2014_virginia_beach/
    Source snippet

    Cube-in-Sphere Sighting Confirmed Across Radar, IR, and Visual Identification. Play. UAP are present in airspace but underreported due to...

11. Source: reddit.com
    Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/HighStrangeness/comments/yykok6/calling_all_people_who_have_witnessed_a_black/
    Source snippet

    Had small white flat rectangle lights on each corner, and...Read more...

12. Source: reddit.com
    Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/1fsdgy3/i_found_this_one_with_no_sound_titled_cube_inside/
    Source snippet

    h in 2014.... dark grey or black cube inside of a clear sphere”...

13. Source: reddit.com
    Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/HighStrangeness/comments/negtyv/pilot_encountering_a_cube_within_a_sphere_ufouap/
    Source snippet

    Lt. Ryan Graves from the USS Theodore D. Roosevelt.Read more...

14. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Navy Fighter Pilot shares story of almost hitting UFO
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRQKLDVQfpo

15. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDrMSwCLQjw
    Source snippet

    Navy Pilot's Chilling UFO Encounter: The Cube in the Sphere | Planet Tyrus...

16. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Navy Pilot’s Chilling UFO Encounter: The Cube in the Sphere | Planet Tyrus
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_EcPNI9P8Y
    Source snippet

    'UFOs in our airspace': witnesses testify at Congressional hearing...

17. Source: youtube.com
    Title: ‘UFOs in our airspace’: witnesses testify at Congressional hearing
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM0RgcFqils
    Source snippet

    This official broadcast of the Ryan Graves Opening Statement at Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) Hearing details the specific 2014...

18. Source: oversight.house.gov
    Title: Ryan HOC Testimony
    Link: https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ryan-HOC-Testimony.pdf
    Source snippet

    Oversight CommitteeRyan HOC TestimonyJul 25, 2023 — Just at the moment the two jets crossed the threshold, one of the pilots saw a dark g...

19. Source: marylandmatters.org
    Title: Maryland Matters Is there evidence of extraterrestrial life?
    Link: https://marylandmatters.org/2023/07/27/is-there-evidence-of-extraterrestrial-life-congress-tries-to-figure-it-out/
    Source snippet

    Congress tries to...Jul 27, 2023 — A “pivotal incident” occurred in 2014 during an air combat training mission 10 miles off the coast of...

20. Source: congressionaldish.com
    Title: Congressional Dish CD278: All Three UAP Hearings
    Link: https://congressionaldish.com/cd278-all-three-uap-hearings/
    Source snippet

    Congressional DishCD278: All Three UAP HearingsMay 16, 2021 — Jaime Raskin (D-MD): I'm sorry, dark gray or black cubes? Ryan Graves: Yes...

    Published: May 16, 2021

Additional References

1. Source: news.sky.com
   Link: https://news.sky.com/story/us-government-hiding-crucial-information-about-ufos-says-ex-navy-pilot-who-claims-he-saw-them-12927800
   Source snippet

   Sky NewsUS government 'hiding crucial information' about UFOs...26 Jul 2023 — He said during a training mission 10 miles off the coast...

2. Source: facebook.com
   Title: among the ufo sightings discussed in a congressional hearing wednesday a 2014 en
   Link: https://www.facebook.com/FauquierTimes/posts/among-the-ufo-sightings-discussed-in-a-congressional-hearing-wednesday-a-2014-en/693461662796799/
   Source snippet

   Among the UFO sightings discussed in a congressional...Among the UFO sightings discussed in a congressional hearing Wednesday: a 2014 en...

3. Source: facebook.com
   Title: former f 18 pilot ryan graves testified before congress on july 26 about witness
   Link: https://www.facebook.com/cgtnamerica/posts/former-f-18-pilot-ryan-graves-testified-before-congress-on-july-26-about-witness/667013095457275/
   Source snippet

   Former F-18 pilot Ryan Graves testified before Congress...Aug 1, 2023 — Former F-18 pilot Ryan Graves testified before Congress on July...

4. Source: binj.news
   Title: The Massachusetts Native Helping The Government Study
   Link: https://binj.news/2025/05/08/the-massachusetts-native-helping-the-government-study-unidentified-aerial-phenomena/
   Source snippet

   May 8, 2025 — Ryan Graves, a Massachusetts native and Navy F-18 pilot, is helping the U.S. investigate UAPs after years of unexplained ae...

   Published: May 8, 2025

5. Source: yahoo.com
   Title: former navy pilot testifies congress 160533737
   Link: https://www.yahoo.com/news/former-navy-pilot-testifies-congress-160533737.html
   Source snippet

   Former Navy Pilot Testifies to Congress About Chilling...Jul 26, 2023 — A former Navy pilot has recounted a chilling encounter he had wi...

6. Source: facebook.com
   Link: https://www.facebook.com/cgtnamerica/videos/former-navy-pilot-testifies-on-ufos/245459478413960/
   Source snippet

   tnessing Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), commonly known as UFOs...

7. Source: c-span.org
   Link: https://www.c-span.org/clip/house-committee/user-clip-testimony-uap-was-a-cube-within-a-transparent-sphere/5095134
   Source snippet

   es testifies as to F-18s and a UAV in 2014...

8. Source: foxbusiness.com
   Link: https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6328635344112
   Source snippet

   c hearing on UFOs on 'The Evening Edit.'...

9. Source: haystack.tv
   Link: https://www.haystack.tv/v/navy-pilot-ryan-graves-opening-statement-uap-hearing
   Source snippet

   eported," Graves testified...

10. Source: facebook.com
    Title: U S Navy Lt
    Link: https://www.facebook.com/HISTORY/posts/it-was-basically-a-cube-inside-a-sphere-us-navy-lt-ryan-graves-on-ufo-sighting-o/10156018280776184/
    Source snippet

    Ryan Graves on UFO sighting over the Atlantic...Former Navy pilot Ryan Graves, says he had an #encounter with an object he described as...