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| Navy says southern California 'UFO sighting' was test missile launch | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The US navy fired an unarmed missile from a submarine off the coast of southern California on Saturday, creating a bright light that streaked across the state and was visible as far away as Nevada and Arizona. | The US navy fired an unarmed missile from a submarine off the coast of southern California on Saturday, creating a bright light that streaked across the state and was visible as far away as Nevada and Arizona. |
| The lack of information about the streak of light around sunset led to a flurry of calls to law enforcement agencies and lit up social media as people posted photos and video of the celestial sight. Many people thought – or hoped – the light was a sighting of an unidentified flying object, or UFO. | |
| It was not clear whether the test was related to the rerouting of night-time flights into and out of Los Angeles International Airport because of an active military airspace from Friday to 12 November. | It was not clear whether the test was related to the rerouting of night-time flights into and out of Los Angeles International Airport because of an active military airspace from Friday to 12 November. |
| Flights usually arrive and depart over the ocean from midnight to 6.30am to minimize noise, but they will now have to go over communities east of the airport. | Flights usually arrive and depart over the ocean from midnight to 6.30am to minimize noise, but they will now have to go over communities east of the airport. |
| A navy spokesman told the San Diego Union-Tribune the Navy Strategic Systems Programs conducted the missile test at sea on Saturday from the USS Kentucky, a ballistic missile submarine. | A navy spokesman told the San Diego Union-Tribune the Navy Strategic Systems Programs conducted the missile test at sea on Saturday from the USS Kentucky, a ballistic missile submarine. |
| Commander Ryan Perry said such launches were conducted on a frequent basis to ensure the continued reliability of the system and that information about such test launches is classified prior to the launch. | Commander Ryan Perry said such launches were conducted on a frequent basis to ensure the continued reliability of the system and that information about such test launches is classified prior to the launch. |
| The test was conducted in the Pacific Test Range, a vast area northwest of Los Angeles where the navy periodically test-fires Tomahawk and Standard cruise missiles from surface ships and submarines. | The test was conducted in the Pacific Test Range, a vast area northwest of Los Angeles where the navy periodically test-fires Tomahawk and Standard cruise missiles from surface ships and submarines. |