Lockheed Martin and UFOs: Ross Coulthart’s Tic-Tac Claim Isn’t New, and Still Isn’t Proven

The Tic-Tac UFO remains one of the most talked about sightings of the last two decades. First reported by U.S. Navy pilots in 2004, the object was described as smooth, white, oblong, and roughly the size of a fighter jet. But what made it stand out wasn’t just its shape, it was the way it moved. According to those who witnessed it, the craft dropped from 80,000 feet to sea level in less than a second, darted side to side without turning, and showed no visible means of propulsion. The footage, released years later, reignited public interest and made the term “Tic-Tac” synonymous with UFO discussions.

But Tic-Tac-shaped objects have been seen before, and since. In the 1950s, pilots over Europe reported long, cylindrical crafts without wings or engines. In 1973, several commercial pilots described a glowing white capsule pacing their aircraft before vanishing at impossible speeds. Even in recent years, eyewitnesses have described pill-shaped objects moving in ways that break what we understand about physics. These aren’t always headline stories, but they add to a long trail of sightings that suggest the 2004 incident might not be an isolated case.

Recently, journalist Ross Coulthart has made a bold claim: that the Tic-Tac UFO wasn’t alien at all, but a piece of advanced aerospace technology built by Lockheed Martin. He didn’t suggest it might be, or raise the possibility, he said it was. No room for maybe. No hint of uncertainty. According to him, he knows for a fact that Lockheed built it.

But here’s the thing: he hasn’t offered any proof. No documents. No photos. No testimony from someone directly involved. Just his word. And while Coulthart has earned respect in some circles for his reporting, that kind of certainty, without evidence, asks for a level of trust that journalism shouldn’t require.

Of course, Lockheed Martin has long been part of the UFO conversation. The company’s Skunk Works division is responsible for some of the most advanced aircraft in history, including the U-2, SR-71, and F-117. Their work was once so secretive that even the military didn’t know what they were flying. Stories have floated around for years suggesting Lockheed has had access to crashed UFOs or reverse-engineered technology.

One of the most frequently cited names is Ben Rich, the former head of Skunk Works. Before his death, Rich allegedly made cryptic comments suggesting that the U.S. had technology far beyond what’s publicly known. One quote often attributed to him, though unverified, claims: “We already have the means to travel among the stars, but these technologies are locked up in black projects.”

Then there are the old rumours about Roswell. While no evidence confirms it, some believe debris from the 1947 crash was handed over to private contractors for analysis, and Lockheed is often one of the names mentioned. The theory goes that government agencies wanted to keep such projects outside of congressional oversight, so companies like Lockheed or Battelle handled the sensitive material.

Skunk Works is also tied to Area 51. That part is confirmed. They tested aircraft like the U-2 and SR-71 at Groom Lake, which only added to the speculation that they might’ve been working on more than just spy planes. Some go as far as to say the base was used to house recovered alien craft, and that Skunk Works engineers were brought in to try and replicate the technology.

There’s also Don Phillips, a man who claims to have worked for Lockheed and the U.S. Air Force. He’s gone on record saying that the U.S. recovered extraterrestrial technology and that Lockheed was involved in figuring it out. Like many stories in this space, his account has never been backed up by documentation.

And then there are the Wilson/Davis notes, controversial documents that describe a 2002 meeting between physicist Eric Davis and Admiral Thomas Wilson. In them, Wilson allegedly describes a crash retrieval program hidden inside a defense contractor’s private division. Lockheed isn’t named outright, but many believe it fits the description.

None of this proves Lockheed was involved in building the Tic-Tac or any UFO-like craft. But it does explain why people are quick to make the connection. The company has a long, secretive history and enough whispered rumours around it to keep speculation alive.

Still, there’s a difference between asking questions and making declarations. It’s not wrong to be curious. It’s not even wrong to suspect. But when someone says they know, especially about something this big, it’s fair to ask for more than just trust.

Until that happens, the Tic-Tac remains what it’s always been: a mystery. And once again, we’re left with another bold claim from Ross Coulthart, delivered with certainty, but no supporting evidence. It’s not the first time, and unless something changes, it likely won’t be the last. Coulthart has developed a pattern of making bold claims with absolute confidence, but never offering the proof that would make them credible. And claims without proof, no matter how confidently they’re delivered, don’t bring us any closer to the truth.