[AERO] DE SAINT-DIZIER (52) VERS NANCY (54) 03.03.2026

On 3 March 2026 at 22:10 UTC, at the end of an overflight mission, the crews of 2 Mirage 2000D aircraft reported a luminous phenomenon. It consisted of 3 extremely bright sources, comparable to powerful landing lights. They appeared at irregular intervals, roughly each minute, for 15–20 seconds at a time. The sightings continued for about 30 minutes along the route from an initial area near Clermont-Ferrand (63) to the arrival area near Nancy (54). The case title refers to a flight from Saint-Dizier (52) toward Nancy. Only 1 account was recorded. The case has moderate strangeness and good evidential support: 4 witnesses, but only T1 submitted an account, and there is no visual record of the UAP. The source describes this as “no visual of the UAP.” The investigation identifies Starlink® satellite flares (see the investigation report). T1's description fits such observations: many appearances lasting 15–20 seconds, brightness like aircraft lights, and a constant bearing near the horizon throughout. This analytical passage calls the intervals regular, whereas the initial description calls them irregular. A Stellarium® reconstruction confirms that the geometry allowing brief illumination by the Sun, already below the observer's horizon, was present: the Sun was at −45° elevation, with flares at 2–5° elevation. Further details appear in GEIPAN's investigation note “Flares of Starlink® Satellites (or Satellite Flaring).” GEIPAN classifies the case A: Starlink® flares. In GEIPAN's criteria, evidential consistency means the amount of information in an account considered reliable and objectively supported.